The Upper Hand
by MSCIBET
Summary: Lex Luthor has lost all it seems to the economy at first but changes the world around him in one move no one counted on. How does Lex handle his new life and the people that seem to be running it for him?
1. Chapter 1 to 3

Title: The Upper Hand

Author: Superag

Rating: R

Summary: Challenge 33 from N-S board. Lex loses everything in this wonderful economy that we have right now. This fic is finished and will post in chunks.

Spoilers: All seasons to 8 up for grabs, but not sure what yet. Lois and Kara don't exist. The Lexana marriage WAS an occurrence and she MIGHT make an appearance. Clark's play in this is involved down the line.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or the instances of Smallville. I get no money from any of this, even though now would be really nice. Don't sue – you wouldn't make any.

Chapter 1 – Gone

'Luthorcorp Receives No Bailout.' Lex read over and over as he stared at the front page of the Daily Planet. He had spent close to three million dollars from his own pocket lobbying the assholes in Congress to save what could be a major market crash when word of Luthorcorp failing got out.

Now it was plastered on every newspaper, website, and news channel throughout the modern world. And he sat alone in the one thing he thought he couldn't lose, the mansion.

He huffed to himself and pinched his nose in frustration. He had spent hours in talks at the state level, bargaining with Senator Kent for what he thought was a good resolution just to find out that his board members had flown themselves in private jets to Washington. By the time he showed up to hopefully gloss things over, the Congress had voted. The car companies were a yes; he was a no.

Pulling up the latest investment charts to the company, he swallowed at the drop of his entire stock portfolio. Anything that a Luthor had touched in the last ten years was near pennies, literally. He switched to another screen and analyzed the amount of money that would be left after restitution and compensation packages were dealt with. Leaning back in the seat, he folded his arms behind his head and closed his eyes.

"You finally succeeded dad." he casually scoffed, whispering to no one there. Lionel had died the year before, his liver eventually giving out after being cured for whatever reason years before. The alcohol must have done him in after all. He shook his head and couldn't believe he was asking the one person he cared least about something he couldn't respond to anyway.

Leaning forward again in the seat, he opened the small box on the table up and stared at the only thing that now occupied it, his ring. "And there's where I stopped paying attention." He laughed at himself almost accusingly thinking about how absurd he had been thinking that marrying Lana Lang would have made a damn difference. He would at least have another ten million to hold onto if he hadn't fucked that up from the beginning.

The marriage had been a pure sham. She wanted comfort, he wanted to know a secret. In the end, neither got what they were looking for. She never quite understood him the way he had hoped, and he constantly fought the invisible man in the corner named Clark Kent. Now, she was gone with his money.

Putting the ring back in the box, he slid it across the table and watched it nick the floor as it hit with a resounding thud. He heard the doors open to the study and looked up at the one person he really didn't want to see. "Mr. Luthor, we need to talk."

"There's only one thing you need to tell me before I let you go, permanently." His accountant sat down and placed an open folder on top the laptop. He watched as Lex glanced over the figures, already knowing what was coming. He could do the numbers in his head.

"We have to liquidate the mansion to cover the employee packages for the Smallville plant," the man spoke quietly yet firmly. "The circled number is…"

"I know what it is." Lex closed the folder and got up from his seat. He silently held up the bottle of scotch on the bar toward the man and he safely declined. Lex nodded his head and put the bottle to his lips without worrying about the glass. It wasn't worth it anymore.

"Sir."

"Leave." The man opened his mouth again to answer Lex and thought of notifying one of the servants in the building of Lex's condition. Walking down the hall, he noticed there was no one to see him out and the music that usually came from the kitchen was silent. No one was there. They had all been let go.

Lex finished off the small amount in the Scotch bottle and threw it across the room, breaking the glass coffee table in between the leather couches that he vowed to destroy later. He laughed as the table shattered, thinking that it was the second glass table to pay its dues in the study.

He picked up another bottle and popped the top, sniffing of the brandy that was older than he was. His father had to be laughing for some reason. He walked along the edge of the pool table, feeling of the felt that he had just replaced as he tipped the bottle back and took another swig. The old aroma didn't suit him. Sitting the bottle in the middle of the pool table, he pulled the cue ball out of the rack and a cue. He stood at one end and carefully lined up the shot. Releasing the cue, the ball cracked against the bottle, causing the bottle to shatter and brandy to pour out over the pool table that was now useless.

He felt strange. He had torn the study apart several other times while he lived there, looking for trinkets or bugs. But somehow the anger that welled deep in him now made his moves more methodical. He took the sword off the wall that he remembered Clark was afraid that he would hit him with. He had told the young man who used to be a friend that the sword was a prop.

A small smirk came across his lips as he ran his finger lightly across the blade and felt that the prop still indeed had a little of an edge. Grabbing another bottle of scotch from the bottom of the bar, he popped it open, tipped it back, and ran the tip of the sword across the seat and back of the couches and chairs. "Oops," he joked as he continued to drink.

Dropping the blade of the sword in the fire that was going, he pulled on the fine leather and ripped it beyond repair. "Liquidate my things. Only need to sell one goddamn item in here to make it."

He walked over and pressed a few buttons on the hidden panel of the safe room. Opening the doors, he looked at the small cot and laughed. "I was delusional. Thanks mom," he snidely added remembering how sweet Lana had been when he was shot for a damn ship he never should have told her about. "Could never keep your mind on the fucking prize at hand Lex. Had to always be in other people's business Lex."

He grabbed the box that had contained an original piece of Kryptonite before it was found it seemed everywhere you looked. The damn town probably glows green from space he thought. Walking back out with the small box, he put the scotch bottle down on the ground carefully, since now there was no table.

Pulling back over his shoulder, he wondered if his aim from Excelsior had deteriorated since school. Pulling his leg up, he launched the box of green meteor rock at the fireplace but missed high and the large titanium urn crashed to the ground. Walking over, Lex picked up the bottle and took another swig from it. "Sorry dad." Looking at the rug, he half-hearted laughed. "I'll get the vacuum later."

Lex moved around and sat back in the chair behind the computer, sliding the folder of his wealth off into the trash. Account numbers be damned; it was all gone anyway. Punching up the computer again, he watched as the numbers changed on LUC, the abbreviation of the company. "Red, red, red." Slamming the top of the laptop down, he cleared the desk with one arm while saving the bottle of scotch in the other hand.

He finished off the bottle and set it carefully on the floor as if it was more important than any of the other objects in the room. He eyed the different books in the small library upstairs and wondered how big of a fire he could get going. Pulling the folder out of the garbage, he went over the final amounts again.

"Personal monetary assets after liquidation $100000. Other assets zero." He never thought things could come to this. His father had created the company out of nothing, actually his grandparents' blood money and made it successful. They had fought tooth and nail for shares of the company over the years and somehow made it work. But as soon as his father's body descended into the ground the last year, Luthorcorp seemed to follow.

Maybe, Lex thought, he hadn't paid enough attention to details. Luthorcorp seemed to run itself for years, with him sitting in the office on the top floor reaping the benefits. Moving money around from legal accounts to those not so legal. Whether possessed or something else, his father warned him about chasing little green men.

The experiments, 33.1 were already a thing of the past. From the information Lex gathered, Lana had taken care of that along with pocketing the money for it, again thanks to his own father and Clark. The Isis Foundation had not been much of a hidden secret, seeing as Lana passed out leaflets at what amounted to 33.1 escapee support meetings. He had never given her enough credit, least of all for disappearing.

Then, he learned from an inside source that his dad had done most of the work on the crooked business contracts before he died. Finding out that more than half of Luthorcorp was being sold off to the lowest bidder was cold, even for his father. Those contracts went out behind his back and only days after his father's three month prognosis came back from the doctors. Lionel had always warned about getting in bed with the enemy, and all the while he had been the enemy. Lex wondered how many times his father had talked out of one side of his mouth while doing the other. Never said he loved Lex, just carefully chipped away everything he had.

Then the market happened. Gas prices spiked, the housing market took a dive from a tall cliff, and everyone stopped buying. Buying stock, parts, anything. And the bottom of Luthorcorp went with the automakers, credit and investment banks, and every other stock known to man. He had tried unsuccessfully to stave off the fall for almost 6 months taking most things and parceling out the amounts to persons that worked for Luthorcorp as compensation packages for unemployment that started piling up. He had given his accountant stamp approval to just sign his name to it. He sold the Daily Planet among other miscellaneous acquisitions that brought him only more debt now. He was now the cause of a 1% global hike in unemployment. Most people thought that Luthorcorp was the bane of Smallville's existence; now it really was.

Smallville had not been immune. The Ledger reported a run on the banks after workers showed up and were turned away by security guards at the gates. Only after some pleading had they at least had time to retrieve their things and go home with simple severance checks and promises of some more money to come. People egged his car as he drove through town, blaming one person for the entire globe's problems. Smallville was the last place he needed to be. He wondered without security at the gate when the storming of the Bastille would begin.

The latest was now a scandal to decimate what was left of the Luthorcorp holdings. The accountant from two years earlier had taken his leave evidently with most of the IRS owed taxes. Too many minions made things muddy for CEO's he now understood.

Leaning on top of his desk, he groaned. He stared at the green rock sitting on the floor and shook his head. Pulling himself up from the start of a drunken stupor, he walked down to the basement and pulled out one of the candle lighters. Opening the door with a secret code, he looked as the room illuminated and rolled his eyes. Years he spent on their friendship, then his parents, then finding out his secret, and for what. Now, they didn't speak, his mother tried to be the civil one but threw him to the wolves in Washington, and his now ex-girlfriend, his own ex-wife, ruined his research.

Lex popped on the small candle starter and looked at the different research that he had acquired. He was surprised it was still there knowing that Lionel knew full well about the room. He lit several items and sat on top of the mangled car, watching as the items burned to ash and the flame carried to the next item. Walking up the steps, he shut the door and dropped the small flame thrower.

Walking into the main area of the basement, he looked at all the priceless pieces of artwork and shook his head. They only needed the original manuscripts from King George and a couple of other irreplaceable Egyptian artifacts that were in the fireproof safe room to pay off the debts. Watching as the fire peaked out from under the door to the room he was just in, Lex's wrinkled up the end of his mouth and walked back upstairs.

He sat down at his desk after dismantling the alarm, for he could care less if his dad's eyesore of a family heirloom house burnt to the ground. He sat behind his desk and stared into space. He wasn't drunk, yet. There was more alcohol in the basement. "Dammit," he said to himself as he realized the fire would easily send the wine collection up in flames before destroying the rest of the family heirlooms.

He walked over to the safe room again and pulled one more box down off the top shelf and put it on the desk in front of him. Opening it up, it contained the last birthday card his mother had given him and his mother's wedding ring among other items. Shoving the card and the ring in his pocket, he dumped the rest of the trinkets from his childhood in the trash. Looking back in the garbage, he grabbed a picture that he had forgotten all about. Shoving it in his pocket, he leaned forward, sighed, and buried his face in his hands on top of the desk.

"I said leave. You're released from the payroll," he muffled at the sound of hearing the door open.

"You did that when you fired me."

Chapter 2 – Fires

Lex looked up from hands at the blonde standing with her weight on one leg and her hand on her hip. The long coat she wore covered whatever curves that he used to find reasonably attractive. She held up a newspaper and cocked her head to one side.

"Lex Luthor, the CEO of the now defunct Luthorcorp declined comment yesterday amid the announcement that the international corporation would have to sell off its holdings to pay for numerous debts and IRS back taxes that were discovered during the corporation's latest meeting with SEC." She paused and acted as if she skimmed the paragraphs for the next juicy line as Lex lowered his head again. "Oliver Queen, of Queen Industries and Bruce Wayne, of Wayne Enterprises, have stepped in quickly to gather loose ends around the globe, gobbling up portions of Luthorcorp and trying to assure employees of their jobs." He heard Chloe kind of giggle at the last part. "Gobble. That's funny considering Thanksgiving was this past week."

Chloe put the paper back down at her side and stared at the man that now sat at the desk without his precious computer in front of him. She then looked around the room and realized that she had stepped into what only looked like a minefield. The computer was in several parts on the floor as was Lionel, or his ashes to be more specific.

"Go away."

"Why? Where you can wallow in your own self loathing? It might make for good entertainment." Chloe sat down on the couch that now looked like scraps of leather. "What happened here?" she asked as pulled slightly on one of the pieces of the leather that hung loosely.

"The maid stopped coming by?" Lex sarcastically answered without meeting her glare.

"Seriously Lex." Chloe stood up and started toward him and stopped as he moved around the desk and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"GET OUT!" Chloe pulled from his grip and straightened out her collar he had pulled on. Dropping his hands to his sides, he almost lowered his head before telling her, "Just fucking leave me alone!" Walking back over to the table, he picked up another bottle.

Chloe dodged the random object he threw across the room in her direction and then watched as he picked up another bottle and popped the top. "Yeah, that's real mature Lex. Drink yourself to hell. Go out the same way your father did. You're a fucking coward when it comes right down to it. You suddenly have nothing and decide this is the best course of action. If I were you…"

She stopped as he lunged at her and grabbed her again with one hand and started pulling her toward the door. "Get out. Get out. Get out."

Slapping him across the face with her free hand, Lex stopped and threw her arm down from his grip. "You touch me again like that, remember you don't have the money to save your ass from going to jail for assault."

"Yeah, like you do."

Chloe eyed him carefully. Chloe knew she had an advantage now over Lex, if nothing else she was sober. But more was involved. She wasn't the same person on the surface. Lex seemed to have changed that in everyone he touched. Lana was gone, off the grid so to speak, with a good divorce settlement. Clark was more Kal El than Clark since Lana left. And Chloe had grown up and had Lex to thank for that.

After achieving what seemed the almost impossible until the Luthor stronghold started the crumble beneath Lex, Chloe had all but destroyed the Isis Foundation after Oliver Queen stepped in and silently took up the remainder of the cause. Quietly, she, Clark, and Oliver moved patients from the facilities to other places to assume new identities.

Silently, she stared at his eyes and saw the defeat that finally took over him. Lex turned around and walked back over to his desk, throwing back some more of the bottle in his hand. "If you won't leave, tell why the hell are you here? Doesn't Mr. Olsen need help putting his socks on or something?"

Chloe bit her lip as she continued to stare at him. The cheap jab at her fiancée was expected but not as cold and uncalculated as Lex's response was. Still, he had a point. "We're not talking about Jimmy."

Lex stopped at the obvious rebuttal, noticing the almost neglect to defend him. He looked up from his desk as Chloe turned and pulled the large chair up near the desk. "You can't honestly say you really wanted to see the downfall. Or is this exclusive of me going slowly insane going to get you a job back at the Daily Planet?"

"Oh, I don't need that," she commented as she put the paper down in front of him. The one he had memorized over and over. "I have been waiting for this moment." Pointing to italics underneath the secondary story of the paper being taken over by Global Communications, he saw her name.

"Finally recognized as the real journalist you always were." Chloe's eyes met Lex's and she cocked her head to the side.

"Was that a compliment?"

"I never said you were a bad journalist. You were frighteningly good." Lex figured he had nothing left to hide behind. He watched as Chloe sat back in the chair as if she was trying to escape whatever strange statement he would make next. "I spent a lot of money making your sources go away."

Chloe sat silent as Lex admitted to his obvious wrongdoings over the years. He watched as her anger melted from her face replaced with the look of pain. Her eyes became glassier and he knew that look. Lana had it too many times right before he shoved her aside where he wouldn't see her cry.

"You really hurt me, my family, and friends. You deserve everything that is coming to you down to possible jail time for tax evasion. I will be there to cover every second of that trial and every day of your term if it occurs. Your father was an evil bastard but he redeemed himself before you put him in the ground."

"I had not…"

Chloe held up a hand to Lex's words. "No, my turn. You led him to make a choice and the choice he made was to leave you even if it was drinking himself to death. You make people hate you like it's a goal for you. You lose me when you were supposed to protect me and my father, you walk into the Daily Planet and threaten me with my life and then you turn my mother into your own little puppet. You took my best friend and turned her against me with all your fucking double talk and lost your only other friend in the process."

She stood up and stared at Lex who watched her every move as she stood up in front of him. Chloe had matured into something he couldn't quite lay a finger on. He had sorely picked the wrong one of the Smallville beauties to woo. Lana had never been enough of a challenge. Perhaps, he wondered, he had chosen Ms. Lang for the mere fact that it once again easy; he didn't know nor cared anymore.

"It's no wonder you lost everything Lex. It seems to be your calling. Lost your mother, your brother, your father, your friends, your money, an election, your company. Now I guess we can add your dignity, whatever there was left anyway."

Lex couldn't let his eyes slip from the gaze on her. The last statement had been a challenge to him and he couldn't lose. He stood up behind the desk as Chloe lifted her head to show her slight strength in the situation. The two glared at each other intensely as Chloe felt her locked knee cramp and tried to stretch it out as she kept her eyes fixed on him.

She had tried not to feel anything for Lex since she walked in on he and Lana back in college. It was like something had hit her in the stomach seeing his baffled but cool look getting caught, even if it was innocent, at the time.

She never understood why it hurt more to lose Lex in her life than the others around her. Possibly she had learned more about him in the few months they worked together that others had ever seen, counting Lana in the mix. Those truths she knew about him made her fall for him. But he had changed, as if a demon possessed him and she watched what started out as a friendship slowly fade to nothing and then enemies.

She remembered Clark had been the first one she had held a crush for so many years until she had seen her best friend was the only thing that truly mattered to him. Hurt, she slowly saw the relationship between her and Clark diminish to her covering for him in the event of emergency or needing research done.

Lana had been different. She never noticed that she and Chloe were having any problems, undoubtedly covering for the lies that Lex told her on an almost daily basis. She of course had learned better but never returned the in kind friendship like before. She was gone; where she didn't know now, but it was for the best.

Chloe noticed that her gaze never left Lex's and he still stared at her. "Again, why are you here? Write your damn story – I'm sure you'll win all kinds of awards for it."

Chloe watched as Lex finally unlocked his eyes from her and took a swig from yet another bottle of what had to be very expensive booze. "That's it. Join your dad in AA hell. You always wanted to sit on his right side just like he made you while he was here." She watched Lex drop the bottle on the ground and watch the murky liquid run out of it.

"Fuck you."

"Well, that probably goes over real well in the board room. Is that what you quoted the board members before they took their cut of the sinking company and ran for the hills and called you out on the illegal dealings? That's too bad; I was hoping for some verbal judo." She waited and he had no answer. "Mature."

"Why are you here? Doesn't Clark have you chasing some detail of that damn foundation that Lana founded?" Lex turned around and stared at her as he picked up the bottle that had half run out on the floor.

"I am not Clark's lackey. Besides, your information is a little out of date; the foundation is closed."

"Could have fooled me," Lex swiftly answered before he stopped short and stared at her realizing what she said. He picked up the bottle that had about a fourth of the bottle left and lifted it to his lips. He was tired and drunk and not interested in bantering with her anymore. "Tell me why you're here or get out."

Chloe stood and stared at the shell of the man that four years earlier she would have happily given up any ties to Clark to be with. "You need someone. And I have the upper hand now."

Glancing up at her, he scowled and shook his head. "How do you figure?"

Chloe heard the question and was about to answer when she smelled something funny. "Lex, is something on fire?"

Lex looked at her and then around and pointed at the fireplace. "Gas logs." He paused and then shook the bottle around in his hand. "And the basement."

Chloe's eyes grew as she ran out on the balcony of the mansion and looked down. She watched Lex walk up behind her and almost fall over the side before she pushed him back against the wall. Eyeing the strange glow from the small half windows near the grass, she grabbed Lex's hand. "You set the mansion on fire?"

"Just the basement. Whole bunch of crap anyway. Except the wine – should have drank it all beforehand. Could be on the right hand side of my father as you say. Could have ruled hell together if I didn't kill him first." Lex felt her tugging on his arm and shook her away. "Fuck you. You won't let me touch you, so hands off."

Chloe watched as Lex slunk back against the outside of the mansion and threw back some more of the liquid. His eyes were quickly becoming glassy and distant. She wondered how many full bottles he had been through. He remembered Lana talking about the amount he drank increasing as their problems got worse, but she had never seen him like this, even in his days against his dad.

"Lex, the basement is not going to be the only thing that burns in here. There are flames coming out of the back windows." She pulled on him again. "Get your ass up. You are not going down like this. I was kidding about the dignity remark – you have it. It's just misplaced."

Lex looked up at her and placed another hand on hers as she pulled on him. His standing jolted her backward but she felt his arm reach for her before she fell over the balcony. Seeing the look in his eyes, determination seemed to make a reappearance, but it wasn't a sane. "Nope not like this. Come on."

He grabbed her hand as he pulled her down one of the staircases and could smell the stench of highly flammable objects burning to a crisp. Looking down the second staircase, he pulled her along with him. "Lex, where are we going?"

"Downstairs." Chloe froze on the stairs and felt his grip tighten when she stopped. "Come on." He glanced back at her and smirked looking at his grip on her hand. "We're going to miss it." Chloe wondered what his drunk ass was talking about. She continued to follow him with his tightened grip.

Lex got to the bottom floor level and stared at Chloe as she watched the rugs and tapestries burn and the bottom of the staircase finally caught with flames. "So?"

"Lex, you're fucking crazy. Come on. Let's get out of here." Chloe pulled from his hand just before he pulled her back and wrapped his arms around her, forcing her face toward the flames. She turned away from the heat toward him and closed her eyes.

"It's so satisfying seeing everything my father worked for burning like he is in hell. Chloe you've wanted to see this; I know you have," he sinisterly purred in her ear. "God, Mr. Olsen is fucking lucky bastard with this body pressed against him every night." He pulled her closer as she fought against his grip.

"Let me go you crazy ass bastard!" Chloe struggled as Lex's arms simply tightened around her.

"Tell me why you are here and have the upper hand." He could see the tears welling up in her eyes again and cocked his head to the side, starting to feel the heat from the staircase from the basement being on fire and creeping up toward the two of them.

Her anger seemed to feed him in his deranged state. Turning to look back at him, "Lex, please. Come with me," she pleaded.

He glanced over to her and noticed the distress on her face. She really seemed concerned. "You're not turning me into the authorities," he stated as if she was to agree with his demands. He loosened his grip on her body, seeing his handprint now on her arm.

Chloe slunk further into herself once free from his grip. This was his plan, to go down with the ship. "God no if we leave now. They'll take everything else you may have instead of insurance knowing it was intentional. Just come with me."

"Why?"

Chloe nodded as she backed toward the door as the fire crept up the stairs toward the two of them, catching each part of the rug that covered stairs in a hot flame. She was done playing games with his drunken ass. "Fine, fucking kill yourself. You haven't died from being shot or stabbed or electrocuted yet. Maybe you'll make it." She turned for the door and felt an arm around her waist again. "Let me GO!"

"Why?" he called loud enough she could hear him over the fire crackling only a few feet from them now.

"Because this is not some goddamn Greek tragedy." He felt her fight against him as he wrapped another arm around her and pulled her closer to him. Whipping her around from the door, she screamed seeing the flames coming up within inches and feeling the heat now on her face. Turning her head slightly, she saw Lex's face now dripping with sweat.

"Why?" he whispered in her ear as he held her in the direction of the fire.

"BECAUSE I FUCKING LOVE YOU YOU ASSHOLE," she screamed as the flames caught the table by the front door on fire. Without reacting, Lex yanked on the now hot doorknob, flinching slightly and pulled the two down the hill out of the way of the flames as they emerged from the front door, rolling now over the timbers that intricately covered the ceiling in the soon to be destroyed mansion.

Decisions - Chapter 3

Lex pushed Chloe down into the side of the hill that retreated to the front gates and covered her with his body. He could feel her shake from head to toe, not sure if it was because of the fire or because of her admission. Holding her head down, he ducked as something popped and another explosion came from the front of the house. The gas main to the fireplace was all he could think.

Pulling her head up, Chloe watched the flames now shoot out of the first floor windows and couldn't believe that the mansion was burning from the inside out. She felt his arm still around her waist and shot him a dirty look as he wiped the dirt from her face. "Don't touch me."

Lex threw up his hands and removed them, releasing his grip from her and wincing at the feeling in his palm. She looked over at Lex, who now lied on the grass beside her looking at the dark sky. He hadn't said anything in response to her unsettling confession.

"Come on. I assume you have your keys to your car," he commented. "I don't really care for the authorities to find me next to my burning home." He pulled himself up and started toward her car without mentioning the confession. Chloe trudged behind him to the car at the bottom of the hill and stared at him as he leaned against the car window once they were in it.

"Where do you suggest we go?" she whispered. She couldn't believe she had let it slip, but it had been true since they put his father away. She had stood on the altar one step below Lana and watched him marry her, all the while wondering if he ever knew or even suspected.

Lex didn't answer. He had nowhere to go. He hoped she would just stop talking altogether. He had to digest the information that kept swimming in his mind. He had known they had feelings years ago but was pretty sure that she had long forgotten how either one of them felt. He wanted to bang his head against the glass hard enough to knock himself out, maybe he would have visions of how he fucked up with Chloe.

Silently, Chloe pulled into the back alley of the Talon. Lex groaned at the sight of the building. He sold his portion as soon as Lana dropped the divorce papers in his lap and disappeared. He had found her once in China but then lost the cash to maintain the surveillance and she was gone again. Selling the Talon for virtually no money, he wanted to be done with it.

"The owner lets you stay here still? I wasn't aware the apartment was still available."

"It wasn't. It's part of the portion I bought, being all of it." Chloe pulled a folder out of her bag and handed it Lex. "Apparently no one wants a second rate coffeehouse that involved the Luthor name." The black pen marks through the important figures showed Chloe's understanding of what Lex would want to see. The small corporation that he had sold his shares to turned around and sold them to Sullivan Inc.

"Sullivan Inc? Did you go through some cheesy Internet site to get that license?"

Chloe ignored his snide remark because for all intense purposes it was true, but he didn't need to know. She simply rolled her eyes and tried to take the folder out of his hands but he pulled it away with a snear.

He looked over the sheets and his facial expression changed. Chloe watched his eyes try to focus somewhere between the drunken stupor and his business sense. His jaw stiffened as he looked each sheet, ending with the Talon. "How did you get them to sell and get Lana's share?" He stopped and analyzed the dates.

"Lana gave her portion to me; dad bought the rest from the subsidiary of Queen Industries that you sold it to. You should do better research from now on," she jabbed at his obvious missing selling to the enemy. Chloe got out of the car and grabbed the folder out of his hands before heading into the back entrance of the Talon.

Holding the door open, she motioned with a nod of her head for him to follow. Seeing his reluctance, she shook her head. "Stay in the car. It's supposed to be about zero tonight. Maybe the cops will pick you up before you freeze to death." She heard the door open and let the door slam behind her right before he made it up the stairs.

"Chloe, how much?"

"None of your business, literally." Chloe opened up the apartment and let Lex pass her into the place before she locked the door behind them. She followed him upstairs and watched him try his key unsuccessfully. Seeing his glare back in her direction, she smiled, "I'm not stupid."

Lex knew that and should have expected as much from her. "So, when is Mr. Olsen going to grace us with his impeccable timing?" Lex sat down on the couch and flipped through a magazine on her coffee table. She glared over in Lex's direction at his unflappable way of completely pretending nothing had occurred back at the mansion, not that she really wanted to discuss it. He, though, acted as if nothing happened, and it disturbed her.

Chloe opened her desk with a key as Lex watched her lock away the folder about the Talon. Shoving the key into her pocket, she glared in his direction noting his careful watch of her every move. Chloe poured two glasses of orange juice and sat one determined in front of Lex. "He's out of town, not that it's any of your business either. Drink it; you need to be sober."

"Why?"

"For when the police show up to arrest you." Chloe lowered her head and sighed. "You couldn't just have given up and walked out." The room fell silent as the two stared across at each other. Lex saw the flash of pain on her face. He couldn't trace it to any one event that marred what they used to have. Chloe could see his face and knew he was analyzing her.

Chloe disappeared into the bathroom and wondered if she was now losing her control. Leaning against he sink, she wiped her face with a wet washcloth and tried to clean the soot from her face. Her hair smelled like smoke and the sleeves of her jacket now had small burn marks from the sparks. They had been that close. He seriously needed help.

Lex heard the shower start and pinched his nose in frustration. He could have easily taken what was left and made something of it. But he had long been obsessed with things being all or nothing, and he wanted the all. He sat and stared at the things in her apartment and shook his head, finally sobering up slightly and realizing how stupid he really was.

Hearing the shower stop, he watched as Chloe's form disappeared behind heavy curtain to make her one room apartment look like two. Leaning back in the couch, he wondered if she even had the heart to let him use the shower. He heard her high heels still on the floor, a sign he was sure that told him not to get too comfortable.

"Give me your hand," she demanded. Lex glared at her as she pulled his hand from laying gently at his side. He flinched as she touched the palm where the doorknob had burned him. Rubbing it gently with some kind of cream, he watched her work without making eye contact.

"Not necessary. It's not bad." Lex pulled his hand from her grip and finished rubbing the cream in over the burn. Chloe rolled her eyes knowing he felt he was still too big to ask for help or kind enough to say anything afterwards.

"So when are you going to tell Mr. Olsen how you feel?" Chloe's breathing increased as she worried what he would say next, but he said nothing, just stared at her.

"Again, not your business what I tell Jimmy." She sighed. "It was a great line and it got you out of the mansion before it blew to high hell." She sneered almost devilishly making Lex wonder if he had been had. Cocking her head to one side, she smirked, "Now, let's just drop it." Chloe turned to reach for her bag and begin working on something for the newspaper, carefully eyeing Lex out of the corner of her eye.

It almost seemed like a strange sadness or reality hit him. Lex Luthor former billionaire sat on her simple couch and stared at the Christmas lights that blinked on the hardware store across the street. She watched him fidget with something in his pocket and wondered what he would try to pull next. Lex pulled something out of his pocket and flicked it across into her lap.

Picking up the scrap from Lex's pocket up, she turned it over and her breath hitched. "Remember when we could talk about anything?" he questioned. The picture his bodyguard took back when she was being safeguarded had Lex not quite smiling, but she was. Now, she strained to keep her composure holding the old picture in her hand.

Feeling her defenses being tested, it was a small groove that Lex was trying to etch in her exterior and she wasn't falling for whatever games he still thought he could afford to play. She huffed. "That was a long time ago. I have some work downstairs. The dishwasher could use unloading up here."

Throwing the picture down on the coffee table, she disappeared downstairs as Lex picked up the picture and carefully put it in his empty wallet. "Too long ago," he whispered to himself.

Opening up the dishwasher, he stared at the different cabinets and realized this was now where he was. Pulling his jacket off, he threw it in the chair knowing it didn't matter anymore. He unloaded the dishwasher carefully looking at where each item went as to not upset Chloe anymore. She saved him and killed him all at once.

Chloe looked back up in the direction of the apartment door and dialed the phone. After answering several short questions and giving a few small instructions, she hung up and stared at the lights across the street. It wasn't in her plan, but he had done this to himself. Resigning herself to get some work done, she unlocked the back door and went back to sit at the table.

Chloe stared at the figures from the week before the Talon closed for what she called the holidays. The place, like many other small operations, were hurting with the newest economic news. The straw to the camel's back had been the closing of the plant. She wasn't going to sink her own cash into something she knew was bad business, but she was surprised Lex took the loss as long as he did. Cash had never been the bottom line here, Lana had. Soon, it would simply be a trendy looking sandwich shop until that folded too. Turning and looking at the clock, she wondered if Lex had gotten anything done.

She glanced up at the back door that she had opened. Torn between her previous decision and now, she decided it was too late to change her mind. He obviously didn't care to make anything but snide remarks in regards to where they were now in their twisted complex relationship.

Trying once again to think about the work in front of her, she couldn't concentrate and she knew she could blame only herself. If she had not gone after Lex when the headlines hit, she wouldn't have professed her secret and wouldn't have him in her apartment. She wished she could have the last few hours back; she would have at least left him there. Sitting back in the chair, she shook her head. She couldn't have left him regardless of her feelings; she wasn't the type.

Dropping her head to the table, she closed her eyes and wondered how she would explain her double life to Clark, Jimmy, Lana. Hearing her phone ring, she picked up and partially smiled. She felt bad for Jimmy; he wasn't meant to be a casualty. "Hi honey," she pasted on a fake smile as she spoke to him.

"Are you coming into town for the weekend?" he asked as chipper as he always sounded.

Chloe leaned back in the chair and had to stifle a laugh at her man. He was so perfectly innocent and boyish. She wondered exactly what was written on her forehead sometimes that attracted the types to her. Obviously she didn't have whatever she needed to have Lex turned on back when it mattered.

Missing the click of the door above, she continued to talk as Lex watched from above.

"No, I have some research that I need to get done here. I'll see you at work on Monday."

"I could come visit." Chloe took a deep breath trying to ignore the question and not sound desperate for him to stay in Metropolis.

"No, I really need the time to work this weekend and you here would cause unneeded, yet incredibly blissful distractions," she quipped. She hoped he would bite; he wasn't the best lover she had ever had. He was awkward and she hoped she could teach him a few things once they were married.

Lex leaned silently on the balcony and could only hear the one-sided conversation but a smile slowly showed on his face as he heard Chloe quickly douse the quick trip of the absent minded Olsen. Feeling satisfied, he quietly went back in the apartment and let her close her conversation.

She returned about an hour later to see Lex sitting at the small kitchen table reading the newspaper, again. She glanced over at the kitchen and saw it completely clean. Dishes were put away and the oven sparkled. He looked up and met her glance before silently going back to the paper. He had cleaned up himself too. She walked over and sat down on the couch, trying to not think of the kind of game he was playing with her.

*******

Chloe opened the door to the apartment a few hours later and saw the officer that stared pointedly at her. "Ma'am, we are looking for Lex Luthor. There was reason to believe that from your previous involvements with him, you may know where he is."

"Why?" Chloe asked as she played along. Lex watched her around the corner. He had his sleeves rolled up after sitting for several hours reading a book she had on her shelf while she worked on what she described as a filler piece for the newspaper. Looking over her shoulder briefly, he noticed it was something simple about saving money while Christmas shopping. Rolling his eyes, he suddenly realized that was him now.

"We have a warrant for his arrest to the charge of arson. Seems that his personal residence burned to the ground this morning." Chloe took a deep breath and didn't think opening up the door to the officer would be as difficult as it seemed. This is what she wanted for him, pain and suffering. But as much of a bastard as he was, this was not the way he should go down, over arson. It should be for much more. Holding the door firmly, she felt another set of fingers touch her arm and push the door open.

"She has nothing to do with this." Lex pushed past her into the hallway and looked the officer up and down.

"Lex Luthor, you have the right to remain…" the officer started as Chloe watched in her open doorway as the rest of words seemed to blend together into a mumbling of legal terminology and Chloe's beating heart.

Lex saw her look at the officer as he clicked the last handcuff on him and took him by the elbow. Glancing back in Lex's direction, Chloe's face was distraught but stiff, and Lex turned back to her. "Thank you," he mouthed in her direction causing her to squint at the odd choice of words.

With the officer pushing gently against him, Lex turned but never took his eyes off her face as he descended the stairs with the officer and disappeared out the side door. Running down the stairs behind them, Chloe watched as they lowered him into the car before slamming the door and locking it.


	2. Chapter 4 to 6

Verdict – Chapter 4

Chloe sat at her desk on now the main floor of the Daily Planet and typed away at the story for the following day's Planet issue. It wasn't one of her juiciest pieces, but that would come later in the week. Still, it would be hard to beat the piece that finally lowered the boom on what was left of the Luthorcorp Company.

"What were you thinking?"

"Good morning Chloe. How was your night Chloe. Mine was good." Chloe jested and rolled her eyes at her once best friend that she merely shared the newsroom with between his run in and outs.

Clark threw the morning edition down on the corner of her desk and stared at her. "You went to the mansion? After everything that he has done to us, to Lana, you went to his den. He's dangerous; you should know that more than anyone."

Chloe shook her head as she stopped typing knowing that she obviously was not going to get anything done without breaching the subject with him. Standing up, she walked over to the coffee stations and without purpose made Clark follow her. "I went to his place, yes. I saw that he had basically become the psychotic maniac that had obviously been under his skin since his last mental breakdown years ago. He didn't hurt me, just scared me a little. Besides, I got a front page exclusive about the REAL downfall of Lex Luthor and a story he finally couldn't kill. I made the call to the police. You should be congratulating me, not making a deal of it."

"He's still dangerous."

Chloe stopped and eyed Clark. Even in his older, more mature state he still only saw things in shades of black and white. And although she saw Lex's color slowly turning blacker than gray, the strange 'thank you' from him when he was arrested showed he either was playing one of his last cards or there was some hope. Still, her guard was up and it was better to keep an eye on the enemy from close by, at least in Lex's case.

Softening her voice as she sat back down at her desk, she looked over at Clark who had pulled up a chair next to her. "I know what he did to you, me, Lana, everyone in that town was and is horrible. But I would rather keep an eye on him now seeing the situation he's in. And he's my story."

"But he still has resources Chloe. He may be down but he's not out." Clark tried to remind her that he had once been cut off but that lasted only a few days.

Chloe held up her hand. "Yes, but I know for a fact that he is sitting on exactly $100000, and that will soon be an amount that disappears as well. Resources cost money whether its Lex Luthor paying or me. His attorney has already requested from his accountant the retainer fee for his trial with the IRS, which he will lose. His older accountant is going down with him but falling softer since he's putting it on Lex, saying it was reallocated to those special projects we all loved."

Clark gaped at the knowledge that Chloe had in her possession. He knew from her past investigations that she wasn't making anything up because she only wrote the truth. "Clark, close your mouth. I'm a big girl now."

Clark sighed as he tried once more to reason with the woman who had been his best friend. He wasn't quite sure what happened, but the wheels fell off the relationship around the time Lex went after Lana. He suspected his pining and brooding had pushed Chloe away, not into someone else's arms but just away. Getting up, he looked over his shoulder once more, "Just watch your back."

********

Lex sat in the one of many cells in the county prison alone. He had been there before but under much different circumstances. Minor incidents, traffic issues that simply ended when enough money was thrown at the right crooked cop. People could always be bought and sold.

Four days had passed and not one person that wasn't the press had asked to see him. It wasn't unexpected although he hoped that Chloe would come by at least once if for no other reason than to badger him about being behind bars.

He looked in the very faint light at the clothes he wore now. They had taken everything from him, including the picture and his mother's things. He thought of laughing thinking that the pants he wore and the shirt on his back were the only things he really owned anymore.

He lied down on the cot and stared up at the old walls of the building that dated from the 30's. You could hear the two officers on duty discussing the football game from earlier in the evening as the night wore on. Lex replayed the events in his mind and came to the conclusion that Chloe had called the cops. He hadn't expected any less. Regardless of her admission to him and subsequent ignoring of the statement, he knew she wasn't one to roll over anymore.

Still, he wondered what her real life was like after his firing her from the Daily Planet. He knew that even at the time of the wedding, Lana and Chloe were not the bosom buddies from high school. Lana, at the time, was still the innocent one and Chloe had been through enough to make her grow up and away from everyone.

She had even decided to give up on Clark. Good girl, he thought. Clark had brought her down from where she belonged. Now, she essentially worked alone, but Lex knew there were other people in her background that he couldn't put his finger on. She had become more resourceful since leaving the Planet as if his firing her made her more powerful. He wished he could take the credit.

Looking over at the small window, he realized that he had only dozed a couple of hours in between his analysis of the recent events with Chloe. He hadn't even scratched the surface, wondering if her sudden confession to him had been just to save his ass. He didn't care though. From the look she gave him when she retrieved him for the wedding, he knew something didn't quite sit well with her as far as Lana was concerned. Until that moment, he was sure Lana was the issue. Now he wasn't sure.

"Luthor, you have a hearing," the guard called as Lex stepped away from the door and held his hands out. There was no reason to fight this one. He had nothing to fight with, excluding his wit and intellect, which would probably not get him very far.

The guard led him into the small courtroom where he saw Chloe in the front row opposite from him in the small public area. She didn't smile, even blink in his direction. He watched as she made notes, probably on his dress and demeanor walking in. He stood in front of the judge and noticed his attorney walking in.

"I can't pay you the normal retainer," he whispered, hoping the rest of the courtroom wouldn't hear him. His attorney simply patted him on the shoulder and entered the automatic plea of not guilty.

Interrupting his attorney, he tapped him on the shoulder and whispered a few words to him. "No Lex." The judge watched the strange exchange he had never seen with Lex in front of him before. The man was usually so infallible and never spoke.

Chloe watched from the front row but not close enough, wishing she could hear what Lex could possibly be saying to his attorney. Nodding her head when she saw the attorney's expression, she covered her mouth knowing the hole Lex chose to dig himself further in.

"Not guilty. I believe my client is under duress and that makes it harder for him to make informed decisions." Lex rolled his eyes and sat down in the chair, completely unaware of the state's evidence that immediately started to pile up. The state had six hours worth of testimony from firefighters, police officers, and pictures. Lex had nothing but his attorney calling the shots.

Chloe watched as the judge disappeared into the chambers. Lex turned and glanced at her as she gulped and held her composure. Putting her head back down, she could still feel his gaze on her as she wrote about the case.

Standing up to meet the judge as he walked back in, the judge waved everyone to sit down and looked over what amounted to another stack of records that had not been previously disclosed.

"Seems that while we have been in session, the IRS seized the garage full of cars and the remainder of some very rare and priceless artifacts from a fire proof location in your home. The proceedings for the tax evasion will be in Metropolis but you need not be present. However, the ruling here cannot be affected by this news. The evidence is clear cut, with multiple evidences of vandalism and arson. The verdict is guilty and I will rule in two weeks. You will remain in county until that day." The gavel fell and Chloe eyed Lex turning toward her again.

She was all he had now. He hoped she at least still had the heart to visit him in prison. He smiled halfway at her as he was led back out of the courtroom and to the jail, this time in a simple gray jumpsuit.

Chloe sat speechless in the front seat as the other reporters noisily left the courtroom, talking on the their cellphones. She made her last couple of notes and wondered what kind of verdict was possible. He was Lex Luthor. Arson carried a stiff penalty, and she guessed the judge would give him the maximum sentence. Grabbing up her bag, she noticed his attorney looking at her as she disappeared out of the courtroom.

**********

Chloe sat behind her desk and smiled at the piece of work that graced her screen that afternoon. 'Lex Luthor To Burn' she read for her title wondering if had been too dramatic for the Daily Planet's tastes. She simply wanted a play on words for the arson verdict.

"Burns, huh?" Jimmy reached over and kissed her on the cheek before sitting at the chair by her desk. "Seems like a long time and coming for you to see him finally get exactly what he deserved." He stopped and noticed the peculiar look on her face. "You okay?"

She wasn't. She hadn't quite put all the pieces together yet, but she knew that she had to do it. Having him sit in that state penitentiary was not her idea of retribution. She wanted something that he and his father had over her family for the longest time. She smiled shortly at Jimmy and reached over and brushed her lips to his. "I'm fine. It's just a little overwhelming. All this time and this is all it took."

She stood up and Jimmy followed her into the copy room to pick up the hard copy of the final draft. "Dinner tonight?"

"I would love to, but I have some other angles I need to set up for this story." Chloe kissed him again and walked into the editor's office. "Here's the story. There's more to come but that'll keep the readers interested until the sentencing."

The editor, Perry White, took over after the latest buyout snatched the paper from Chloe's hand and skimmed over it. "I see you conveniently left out the fact you called the police to cover your ass for harboring a criminal. Although, I'm sure the police would not have charged you. You are going to stay on top of it? You seem to be intimately involved with this man."

Chloe tried to ignore the flush feeling on her cheeks at her new boss's suggestion of intimacy. Nothing had ever really happened, nothing she could qualify as intimate. "Certainly not in the way you might think. Anyway, I know him better than most."

"Mr. Luthor, who has very fine tastes," White joked as he ran his hand along the edges of the chair that Lex used to sit in. "Did not have quite the same sleaze investigating for him as I do. Now, I want to know what makes him tick now. His plans. You up to interviewing; he won't talk for anyone else."

Chloe halfway smiled and rolled her eyes. "An interview. I was going to hold off until the sentencing and catch him in the true environment, but if you want me to."

"Yes, for Friday's edition. We need to bring up our numbers for Friday, and that will do the ticket. Now off." Perry waved her to the door.

Chloe sat down at her desk and eyed the newsroom, not seeing Jimmy in her sight. It was going to be an explanation of epic proportions for both he and Clark, especially Clark. She wasn't quite sure if Jimmy would even speak to her after she told them what was being planned.

***********

Friday came around and she stared at the small tablet in front of her in the musty room with only one other chair. The guard left her there to obtain Lex. She watched as the man that used to keep her guarded and then keep her on her guard walked differently as he stared at her through the bars as he passed.

Sitting down at the small table across from her, the guard waved to her to call when she was done. Chloe met his eyes in determination but couldn't speak. "I asked for you three days ago," Lex calmly stated as he stared at her across fidgeting with the pen in her hand.

She glared across the table at him. "There are other stories to write in this city Lex. I had things to do."

"I've wanted to see you."

Chloe swallowed. "Why?" She knew though.

Lex folded his hands in front of him and lifted the one side of his mouth as in some kind of simple smile. "You deserve the exclusive. You were the one that put me here."

"You realize you are looking at prison time." Chloe tried not to break the intense stare that Lex gave her. It was f he was trying to see past the cold exterior of her reporter's face to find the words she had screamed at him days ago.

Lex nodded and sighed as if he was ready to take what he was handed. "I know; five years possible since I put you in harm's way." Chloe watched his chin slightly quiver like she hadn't seen since he talked about Lana's leaving. "Of course, you gave me no choice barging in."

Chloe shook her head in disbelief. He was actually trying to make the situation all her fault. "Dying would have been too easy for you. Now, how about the interview." Chloe flipped the tablet and began the run down of questions that Perry had given her in case she forgot what she was supposed to be asking about.

Chloe glanced over some the questions and rolled her eyes. Huffing, Lex watched the obvious disgust. "Not exactly the kind of interview you wanted to do? Let me think, Perry White wants the basics, and you want the real reason that everything happened the way it did." Lex leaned further in and shook his head as he tried to reach for her hand across the table. "I think Mr. White should be interviewing you."

Chloe leaned further back in the seat and stared across the small table. She could feel her flesh crawl partially from the obvious disgust with how well Lex knew her and the other for the searing look he gave her. Man of incredible flesh and a devil's soul. Gaining her quick composure, she stared into his eyes and broke a smirk, "Your attorney just absconded with half of the remaining money in your personal account, leaving you little or nothing. Have a response?"

Lex sat up met her obvious stance with his own. "He is simply gaining his retainer for the IRS trial…"

"That you are bound to lose. How do you feel about seeing your personal accountant for the last seven years is testifying against you?" Lex hesitated and Chloe took the break in his composure as a weakness and continued. "Perhaps, could this accountant been placed in charge of your personal accounts as a plant for your father so many years ago?"

Lex balanced himself on his hands and squinted in Chloe's direction as if he was counting the years. "Interesting thought, but as much as my father and I didn't see eye to eye, I can hardly expect that he would have planned a setup like this. Besides my personal account had very little to do with business deals."

"No, just the money your mother left you when she died," Chloe quickly added in.

Lex stopped and stood up from the table and paced in front of Chloe. She knew that had hit a nerve. Staring at the floor, he nodded, "He wouldn't be so underhanded to steal slowly from a teenager."

"You weren't a teenager. You were on the board and this is the same man that killed your grandparents, or did some of those beatings and shootings mar that memory again?" Lex turned to her last words hearing the bite in her words. She was obviously dredging up the past to remind him how he had changed.

Turning to her, he moved around to her side of the table as he heard the outside door unlatch and a guard moved in. Chloe looked around Lex's body moving closer to her and eyed the guard. "He's ok," she reassured the guard as the man stepped back behind the door.

Standing up in front of him, her heels still brought her just lower than his eyes. "Hit a nerve?" she leaned on one foot, proud of herself.

Lex leaned in and brushed her hair out of the way, "Not the one you were hoping for," he whispered and then watched her eyes as her stance stiffened with his fingers moving slightly down her arm before he moved away. Looking back in her direction, he shook his head. "You have an interesting theory though. Maybe you should investigate where Lana went, seeing as you still claim to have no idea. That could benefit both of us."

"Ten million dollars is a lot of money for a little Smallville cheerleader to walk away with," Chloe smarted back as she sat back down and pointed at the chair in from of her. "I have to leave in exactly ten minutes, and would like a few more points than a classified ad to write about."

Lex sat as she not so subtly asked him to. "So, upon your release from prison, assuming the additional time in the white collar prison of I'm sure your choice, what are your plans?"

Chloe smirked with almost a smile on her face as Lex leaned back in the chair and threw his feet up on the table. She couldn't tell if his demeanor was to keep her on edge or that he truly wondered where he would be at. Crossing his arms, he looked back at her and cocked his head to the side. "I know I'll come back here to Metropolis. Pursue the money that rightfully belongs to me and start over." Throwing his hands out, a smiled appeared on his face. "Luthors persevere."

Chloe put her pad away and stood up, "Spoken like a true Luthor. I'm sure your father would be dutifully proud." She paused before the door to the cell popped open. "Still wouldn't say that those are the words that you wanted to hear though."

"Chloe," he calmly questioned her as she headed out the main door. Turning he had stood up but was held back by the guard from approaching the bars. "I already heard them from you."

"See you in court Lex," Chloe dropped without another facial expression. Lex watched the door behind her close and sighed and pinched his nose, realizing she wasn't the little teenager he could scare anymore.

*********

Chloe walked around the apartment in the Talon and eyed the remodeling that she was having done during the week while she was in Metropolis covering the trial. She had given in and stayed with Jimmy, not quite ready to have the conversation with him. Turning, she smiled at the slender gentleman that strolled in wearing the light leather jacket and smiling.

"This is really what you want?" the man asked as he looked around the room and checked out the new furnishings. Sitting down on the couch, he hopped a little. "Looking to cause a back ache?"

Chloe giggled as she pointed another worker in the direction of the bathroom and eyed the shower's new piping. Everything had to be gone over with a fine tooth comb. Walking back into the kitchen, she shook her head. "You know, you look kind of jealous."

The man turned around, pulling one of the drawers open. "Jealous. I know your tastes have always been a little on the wild side, but some of this ridiculous," he laughed as he pulled out the stack of heavy plastic plates.

"Put it back," Chloe argued playfully as she grabbed the handful back out of his hand and replaced them. "Is the outside set up?"

"Yeah, the mainframe is placed on the roof and the line into the apartment is set." He hesitated and Chloe saw the look on his face. Even knowing the man only the last couple of years, she had learned to trust him almost more than Clark. Clark was still swimming in between the Lana pond and destiny. Right and wrong seemed to only revolve around whether it was good for him or not.

"Don't give me that look. I get it from Clark."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders as she gave another set of orders to the workers bringing in more boxes. Smiling up at him, she slipped out of his arm and opened the boxes. "Good, in there." She commented as she pointed to the far end of the place.

"Come on, I need to check on how the workers are doing downstairs." She walked down the stairs, feeling him right behind her. She looked over her shoulder at his awe of the transformation of the Talon coffeeshop into a sandwich and juice bar was going.

"Looks great. And I take it you've got plans."

Chloe smiled almost devilishly, "Yeah. Hey are you going to be there on Monday?"

Walking out the front door with her, she signed a couple sheets that another foreman handed her and looked back at the man leaning against the sleek car. "No," he nodded. "I think I'll just wait for your impressions in the Planet." Leaning forward, the man hugged her and smiled. "Call me if you run into any problems."

Chloe smiled and watched the man drive off in the car and then got in her car, leaving for Metropolis to try to explain herself to Jimmy, the one conversation she was trying desperately to avoid.

**********

"You what?" Jimmy pushed her out of the kiss she was laying on his neck and stared at his fiancée as if she had lost her mind. Getting up from the couch in his little apartment, he nodded his head and backed away. "Are you sure you're not possessed by some meteor freak that you picked up while remodeling the walls?"

Chloe rolled her eyes. She couldn't really take too much of his childish behavior and didn't understand the situation. Closing her eyes and rubbing her head, she tried to think of the words that could explain her thinking. "I want control over the situation. You weren't there my whole childhood and I don't expect for you to understand. But I'm not going to argue or fight with you over this."

Jimmy watched her pick up her purse and head for the door. Stopping short of cutting off her path, he put his hand out on her arm. "Are you being careful? Do you understand the complications of this? Does Clark know?"

Chloe pulled out of his hand and glared at the man that she was still, for the moment, engaged to. She knew that Jimmy was in for the duration after all the other times he had forgiven her; she had him until…she couldn't think about it right then. Rolling her eyes, she pulled the door open, "Yes, yes, and no." Without hearing the last bit of what Jimmy was asking, she watched him stand in his apartment doorway as the elevator doors closed.

********

"All rise," Chloe could barely hear the judge speak, her heartbeat thumping loudly in her ears. She sat at the far side of the courtroom from the yet again business dressed Lex Luthor stayed standing with his attorney.

Lex could feel the heat from her eyes on his back. Resisting the urge to turn, he glanced out of the corner of his eye to see her still staring expressionless. He slightly smirked to himself thinking her glazed emotionless look almost matched the one he had used with her every time they met the last couple of years.

"Counsels, approach the bench please." Lex watched as his attorney walked away from the table and then Lex glanced back at Chloe as she raised her chin to him. Even with the power play in her face, the slight upturn of her lip looked hopeful.

He knew the interview had gone completely wrong and read the result in the Daily Planet. He might as well had committed murder in the way she painted him to the international press. Cold, heartless, selfish…those had been the words that reiterated in his mind when he laid in the dark. Prison time only meant he would have even more time to think about her and his fuck ups.

"There's been a deal made," his attorney leaned over and whispered into Lex's ear as Lex looked at his attorney questioningly. "It's a very good deal considering the number of times you have been in legal troubles." Lex stood up for the judge, still not sure what his attorney had agreed to. He glanced once more back to Chloe, who pulled something out of her satchel and read over it as the judge began.

"Mr. Luthor, would you like to address the court before the sentence is read?"

Chloe eyed Lex's body movement as he answered, seeing nothing but stiffness and his steel voice unwavering. "Ladies and gentlemen. I apologize for the inconvenience that this has caused the courts and the public. I was reckless and not in control as I should have been."

Chloe closed her eyes as he finished the brief statement that would be printed in papers, including the Daily Planet. She sat completely still as the person behind her scribbled faster than a normal person. Afterwards, he leaned over in her direction, "Was that an apology?"

Glaring at Clark, she rolled her eyes and looked back in Lex's direction as the legal jargon of the sentence was read first before the judge stopped.

"When this deal was brought to me soon after the verdict, I first was not going to consider it. After overseeing the quick yet extensive developments involved, I reconsidered with some minor adjustments. Be forewarned that any deviation from the sentence details laid out will immediately qualify you for the original sentence.

Therefore, for the sentence of arson of personal property, you are hereby sentenced to serve a term of no less than one year under house detention at 220 Main Street, Smallville Kansas, 35409. There you will be bound by a GPS ankle bracelet. You will be restricted to within 100 feet of the grounds 24 hours a day except for with an accompanying officer. You will report to the household landline phone during the random household checks. You may not possess alcohol, drugs, including caffeine, a cell phone, a computer, television, or fax machine.

You will maintain a job in the shop below the apartment and will work during the hours of 6 AM until 6 PM. Your pay will be handled through the state as part of your court debt. You will be accompanied by an officer to anger management classes on Monday, Alcoholics Anonymous on Tuesday, and to see a counselor on Tuesdays and Thursdays. A short list of visitors has been approved to the court and those visits will be allowed on Wednesdays and Fridays between 6 PM and 7 PM.

On weekends, you will be accompanied by an officer to a prison work site for at least 8 hours of the day. You will have unscheduled visits to check on your progress at least twice a week by an assignee of the court. This sentence can be extended or cancelled based on the verdict of your future court appearances.

Do you understand the sentence as I have read it?"

Lex stood stunned. Glancing back in Chloe's direction, she cocked her head to the side and said nothing. Turning back to the judge, he nodded, still stunned. "Yes, your honor."

"What did you do Chloe?" she heard behind her as Clark could barely get the words out of his mouth.

New Introductions – Chapter 5

Lex watched as the rows of corn flew past in the vehicle that had only one small window. He silently wondered if the officer across the way from him was going to be the one assigned to him. The man was incredibly large, in a way that was frightening to even Lex. He looked familiar though.

"Do I know you?"

The large man in uniform looked over at him and gruffed. "Your thing replaced me in the Streetfight two years ago. So, my career went down the drain and I went to the police academy." The man folded his arms over his large body and leaned back against the side of the truck wall. "I'm your officer, Officer Bates," he slightly smirked as an almost evil chuckle took over.

Lex nodded and then continued to silently look out the window. He was starting to put the pieces together as far as his punishment and had a pretty good feeling who had worked with the judge on it. He wondered if the two years in prison in Metropolis would have been easier, but he wouldn't give her the satisfaction of winning by asking for it.

"We're here," Bates smiled across at Lex, still handcuffed and leg braced as if they should be concerned he could take down the officer across from him. Hopping out of the back of the vehicle, he groaned at sight of the alley behind the Talon. Scenes from events he had been part of, good and bad, flooded his memories to the point he couldn't think straight.

Lex looked down to see that Bates was hooking another object, not quite as heavy around his ankle. "It's waterproof and tamperproof," Bates commented as he looked down at the man while taking his handcuffs off. "You can only go as far as that garbage dumpster or it'll send a signal that you've taken off." Bates leaned forward and slowly continued, "And then I have to go after you."

The last look Bates gave him about his running away sealed his fate. Lex pulled his pant leg up and noticed the small engraved initials on the side of the company logo. Nodding his head, he wondered about the irony of it all.

"This way," Bates led him in the back door of the Talon, which looked nothing like it used to. Lex eyed the whole place seeing that the entire interior had been calmed to what would be compared to a 'green' sandwich shop. He looked at the flyer on one of the posts and raised an eyebrow. She closed the old theater finally. There was a perfectly good one on the other side of town, but Lana tried to run the other one for years.

Seeing Bates pointing to a small table, Lex sat down across from the officer and continued eyeing the changes that had occurred in just a few weeks. Shaking his head, he couldn't place except for Chloe's dad where she could possibly get the ability to make changes like those.

"Good morning Mr. Luthor." The man put his hand out and shook Lex's before sitting down in one of the other chairs. "I'm Mark. I'm the manager and your boss." The man stopped speaking, looking slightly nervous at Lex.

Lex watched his lips twitch, and questioned, "Let me guess, I did something to you too." The comment was stated acidly as if he could still rattle someone without having any power.

"#1127 from Chicago 33.1. You remember me or did you have so many of us you couldn't keep us straight?"

"Mark, that's enough." All three men looked up as the front door slammed behind a well dressed and very determined Chloe Sullivan. Walking over, she stopped in front of Lex and held out her hand. "Your ride go ok?"

Lex was beside himself trying to understand why other than owning the building she was there. "Fine. You seem to have dug up everyone that could possibly hate me."

Chloe sat in the last remaining chair, leaning forward and crossing her hands on the table with a devil's smile on her face. "I haven't even scratched the surface, but a lot of that will depend on you." Her face was expressionless; she had learned that all too well from battling with him and then before with his father. Nodding in silent acknowledgement, Lex remained quiet. "Mark, you will treat him with the same respect as other employees. I will not have you badgering him."

After Chloe put the manager in his place, Mark continued explaining what Lex would be involved with until the media circus calmed down. Lex silently thanked Chloe that she had the foresight to not let Mark put him on display right off the bat. Then again, Chloe had always treated him differently, respectfully, and he blindly had thrown it away.

***********

"So, now that you have the kitchen down, how about checking out your place?" Chloe squeezed the very large arm of Bates and smiled, "He'll be ok." Bates stood at the bottom of the stairs and waited as Mark disappeared into the kitchen. Chloe opened the door and handed Lex the one key he was allowed to now have.

Flipping on the light, he sighed and then gave Chloe a surprising glance. She couldn't help let a small smile break on her face. "Chloe."

"I know it's not the pieces from your place, but it's as close as I could do on a budget." She watched as he eyed the painting job of cool blues and grays and then heard his chuckle at the plastic decorations and dishes. "They didn't allow any glass, except the windows. I tried to convince them you wouldn't try to kill yourself again, but they didn't bite."

He disappeared around the new wall that separated the living room from the bedroom better. Chloe sat on the couch and bounced a couple of time, now understanding what Oliver had been talking about when he had been there. She shook her head and probably assumed the that books on the shelf would be read at the kitchen table.

"And I was thinking this morning about asking to go back to prison." He came back into the main room, dressed very similar to his look when Chloe first met him. "Do I want to know how you afforded all of this?"

Chloe eyed him from the couch and just ignored the question. "You know your way around here. Let's go downstairs." Lex followed behind her and passed Bates once again before disappearing into the back that used to be the theater. Opening one door, Chloe walked in. "Here's your and the Talon's laundry room. Across the way through that door is your workout room. I asked for you to have something to do, so there are plenty of psycho babble books upstairs."

The two walked further back into the now empty theater and Lex looked around. "It's going to be a new gym that enters from the side. It still needs work though." Chloe reached up to turn the light off as she felt Lex's hand on hers. The slight brush ignited a feeling that once never bothered her, one that now made her nervous since so many things had changed.

Looking over her shoulder, she swallowed hoping he wouldn't notice the motion. "Chloe, you could have just let me go to jail," he softly stated into the now dark room. He couldn't exactly tell where she was from the small bit of light that came from under the door she had closed. Taking another step, he felt her against him. "Why did you do it? All of it."

She jumped slightly as his hand running along her arm as his warmth moved closer to her. "This wasn't the way it was supposed to happen. You were supposed to just come with me. You fucked it up."

Lex felt her leg up against his and knew that even in the dark he had her cornered. Running his hand along her shoulder, he felt her slightly shudder and felt her breath hitch. With the dark, her reactions were more telling. "I'm sorry. What was the real plan Chloe? You honestly thought that I would be able to just pick up and do what I'm forced to do now."

"I just wanted…"

Lex leaned in closer, feeling the heat of her cheek against the palm of his hand. "Did you really say that at the mansion just to get me to leave?" he whispered into her ear as she closed her eyes. Even with no power, no money, he still had her.

Her voice was gone; she opened her mouth and couldn't picture any words coming out. He couldn't see her jaw moving to speak but knew he could feel it in his hands. He had been damn confusing to her senses and now she knew that she couldn't be alone with him and was in over her head.

Lex could feel her nervousness just beneath his fingers. He imagined her face flushed unlike he had seen in years. He wondered if Jimmy could honestly make her feel the same way but seriously doubted it. As much as he wanted to taunt her for having a pseudo affair with him, bringing Jimmy into the equation right now would ruin the moment. He ran his hand back behind her head, entwining his fingers into her hair.

"Lex, stop," she squeaked out before pulling her body out from his, feeling his lips just graze her forehead instead of her lips as she thought he was hoping for. Flipping the lights back on, she shielded her eyes and headed toward the door. Lex turned in her direction and saw the color of her cheeks starting to already fade. She was complicated and he couldn't get her to admit anything again. "We need to get back and get you busy. I will see you later this week."

Lex nodded as if nothing happened and held the door open for her before turning off the light. Following her back into the Talon, he leaned against the counter as Mark handed her a set of invoices. He tried to eye the papers over her shoulder but backed up as she turned and glared at him. "Mark, you have something for Lex to do before opening?"

Mark handed a bucket of warm water and a towel in it to the man dressed in the clothes that he no doubt knew Chloe picked out for him. "Yeah, wipe the tables down once more. They had to do some more drilling for some electrical last night and there's dust everywhere. Then there's a broom in the backroom where you can get the floors."

Lex looked dumbfounded in Chloe's direction as he took the bucket ungraciously from Mark. She continued flipping through the invoices and checking over figures. Looking up at Lex, she signaled for him to get started. "What are you waiting on?"

"I'll see you on Wednesday?"

"Depends on when your official visits by the court ordered officer are supposed to occur." Lex raised an eyebrow. "I'm the court appointed person. See you soon." Chloe picked up her purse from the counter and whispered a few more things to Mark before slipping out the side entrance. Lex saw her pull away from the front of the building and huffed as Mark watched. Looking up, he noticed the evil eye and proceeded to squeeze the soapy wet rag out before starting on the first table. It was going to be a long year.

************

"Hello?" Chloe giggled at the slight grogginess on the other end of the line. She looked at the clock in her own apartment, 3:30 AM.

"Good morning. Just checking in."

Lex knew immediately who it was; she had called almost 5 hours ago as he was reading one of the Chicken Soup books that graced his new place. He was in rehab hell. "Chloe, is this really necessary?"

"It's court ordered and I'm only doing it for a couple of days until the official caller has you put into her schedule. Her voice isn't quite as nice as mine though."

"How many more calls before sun up?"

Chloe looked at her log that she was required to keep. "I can't say, but if I call the Talon for you, you will have to answer."

"Done. Can I go back to bed now?"

"Lex, of all the people in the world, I thought you would revel in the idea of me giving you a wake up call. I know for a fact that you slept very little when working."

Lex rolled back over in the bed with the cordless phone still pressed to his ear. "Yes, but I don't have to work those hours now and when you left I found out what work was. Your friend Mark showed me the other side of the business. I mopped the entire damn place, changed lightbulbs, and finished painting what Mark explained was going to be the new Yoga classroom in what was the flower shop. Yoga?"

Chloe couldn't help but softly chuckle at the rant that the almighty Lex Luthor was on, and it was only the first day. "Goodnight Lex. You have what – 2 hours until you have to be at work?" Chloe clicked the phone closed and glanced over at the groaning man in the bed. He was going to be a problem in the mix. Putting the phone down, she crawled back into bed, feeling Jimmy's arm wrap around her as she turned away from him.

********

Two weeks had passed since Lex had first started his time. He was now getting four to six calls at random hours from some woman that sounded like she could break him in half. That was in addition to the brief, even without speaking, visits that Chloe made to make sure that everything was still going as scheduled.

The Talon Green Sandwich Shop had opened the weekend before to rave reviews even from the Daily Planet. The press when Lex first started working there had scrambled in the first few days to catch a glimpse of the billionaire as a work stiff just to leave with a satisfied appetite and a good word of mouth. Lex was safely hidden in the back, earning his keep.

He stared at the already piled high set of dishes from the morning shift. Gone were the muffins and scones and pastries of the coffee house, now replaced with health food that seemed to be actually doing well. He admitted the omelets that one of the cooks made were better than the mansion's cook. The business, he had to hand it to Chloe, was actually going to make it. She had impressed him once again.

Personally, Lex hadn't been completely disheartened by the new arrangement. The first few days he could barely reach for a glass after working so physically getting the place ready to open. Now, the laborers were working on the gym and he could just stay in the kitchen, for now. Shaking his head, though, he eyed the shirt he had decided to wear today. The one that used to be white.

He had now been through two weeks of therapy. The twelve steps for AA seemed to be no problem since he was nowhere near any alcohol now. Strangely, he only missed it when he couldn't sleep. That was where the book came in. He had read every book on the first bookshelf and was now working on the books about solving the pain in your soul or some crap. It went well with the two hour sessions with the therapist, at least this one wasn't drugging him.

As he lowered the first set of dishes into the sink now filled up to his elbows in water, he still considered what Chloe's whole intention was. He had noticed small details about the Talon in the last few weeks and knew there was no way her father's little bit of money would cover the expenses. He knew some of his expenses were carried by the state, but didn't think Armani Exchange was one of the allowed State of Kansas vendors for prisoners. There was more to his incarceration there.

Then there was Chloe. Since their almost heated passionate moment two weeks ago, she seemed to go through the motions of seeing him, checking in on him, and then leaving without even a word. But there was a look of sadness that invaded her face when he saw her leave the Talon most days she came by. He had to get her to talk to him, maybe try a new strategy because the overbearing, get what I want Lex Luthor didn't exactly scare anyone anymore.

********

Chloe was running late. She stood in front of the door and waited after she knocked a third time. Talking to herself, she was simply going to check he was in the room, not that the ankle bracelet did that for her, and then leave. No complications, and she could be home by bed time, with Jimmy.

"Coming!" She heard from the other side of the door and then heard the click from several of the locks. She mildly laughed thinking that one little apartment was more secure than the mansion had been. Lex wondered who Bates had let up the stairs as he opened the door. "Can I…Chloe." He leaned against the door slightly, lifting one side of his mouth like a half hearted smile.

"Hi, I just had to check and see if you were here. I was running late and didn't catch you at work." She could smell something in the apartment as her eyes widened. "Are you burning something else?"

Lex turned around and left the door open. "Fuck." He turned down the fire on the stove and pulled the pan off the stove. "That is the second time I've done that. I can't get it to work like the cook downstairs did."

"Nice," Chloe muttered under her breath. She stayed in the doorway and silently argued with herself about entering the apartment at all. The last time they had been alone, things had gone very wrong. Realizing that she really didn't want to leave right away, she heaved a sigh and closed the door as she entered the apartment. "You know cooking is one of those basics."

"And I might get to learn to do it if your little henchman didn't have me mopping floors and washing dishes all the time." Chloe watched the steam rise up from the sink as Lex dumped the pan in and reached for the water handle.

Chloe came around the edge of the counter and pushed his hand away as she lifted the pan back out of the sink. Lex threw up his hands and stayed out of the way. "I thought you would have appreciated the gesture of not making you serve the journalists that want to write about the great Lex Luthor."

Lex huffed at her backhanded comment. ""So instead of being the starring attraction in the center ring, I'm being kept as the sideshow for your private enjoyment. How wonderful for me." He crossed his arms and leaned against the counter as Chloe eyeballed him.

She was there to check that he was indeed there and that was it. Her visits were to be official and short. The fact of the matter was that she always made these during his working hours and never had to be alone with him, just check he was still there. Tonight presented a problem she hoped to avoid.

Not that she couldn't keep her wits about her; she was just not interested in a confrontation or argument tonight. She pulled a bowl out of the cabinet and dumped the partially burned entrée into it. "Nice shirt; I didn't think you were into pink after…"

"Funny. Those brand new maroon towels made five shirts this color." He paused and watched as she silently handed him another bowl and a bag of salad out of the refrigerator. "So how is the article on the new Lex Luthor going?"

Chloe's eyes shot up at him standing next to her in the kitchen as she tried to salvage what was left of what she guessed was chicken alfredo. "I'm not discussing it."

Lex stopped and turned in her direction wielding a spoon. "Why the hell not? I'm right here. I could still say no to that interview you've been trying to get but why. You're going to write what you damn well please anyway."

Chloe walked around and practically dropped the bowl of pasta on the table before going for some of the plastic dishes where she at least could eat and get out. "Lex, when are going to figure out that your incarceration is not my way of becoming famous. I'm not using you even though you got really good at doing that to others. Now, I usually get a meal from Mark before I leave; I couldn't tonight because I was running late. So, I'm going to either salvage what you have here for the two of us or leave and be hungry after the three hour drive home."

Lex didn't respond. Part of what she said was true he guessed. Still, the Talon felt like a big cage that he was subjected to. Deciding that the slight circles under her eyes and her icy tone was a hint that dinner could be on the table or in his lap before she left, he decided to drop his inquisition. He watched every step she made around the kitchen, noticing she knew where everything was. "Is the place set up like you left it?"

"The kitchen is, minus the real dishes." She was short and to the point. She didn't really feel like having a full blown conversation with him even if she was staying for dinner. On the other hand, Lex had guessed right about Perry was breathing down her neck for an update on her lifestyle piece on Lex.

"Can you gently turn the oven on where we can make some garlic bread. Spices are in the cabinet." Chloe took the items from him and quietly prepared the rest of dinner as he finished mixing a salad. It was a strange feeling standing next to him in what a few weeks ago was her kitchen, and they were making dinner together.

Sitting down at the table, she nervously pushed the food around before taking a bite. It wasn't half bad even burnt she thought. She knew Lex was watching her reaction to the food and saw his crooked smile as she nodded in approval. "Ok?"

"Good. A little dry. You'll get better."

The two ate in what amounted to complete silence. Chloe watched Lex intently trying to recreate a picture of a confident man in front of her. Gone was the wine at dinner replaced by some kind of green tea the therapist gave him to help him sleep at night. After the last few weeks, she wondered if she should ask to have some.

Chloe wanted him to be different. That was the ultimate goal for all the people involved. Luthor caged like a carnival act wasn't the reason for his being there, no matter what he apparently thought. But she couldn't make him believe it, he'd have to come to it or not on his own.

As if he was reading her mind, he placed his fork on his plate and looked up at her as she finished at the same pace he did. "Two weeks have passed. Would you like to hear about my exploits with the vacuum cleaner? It could add color to your piece."

"I'm curious," Chloe casually, slightly amused at the strange peace offering.

"I understood the vacuuming part, but the changing of the bag was," he paused, " something new. It went everywhere when I pulled on the bag. No one told me to just slip the little seal of the plastic piping. I went through practically another bag vacuuming up what had flown through the air after the accident. Then another couple of hours dusting." Chloe chuckled at the little story and then the room fell silent again. It was strange; they used to talk to each other for hours without recourse and now could barely say two words without throwing accusations. "How's Jimmy?"

Chloe nodded her head and rolled her eyes. "Fine." She looked in his direction and questioned the look on his face. Was he actually seriously holding out the strange olive branch with Jimmy's name on it? Thinking it wouldn't hurt to make conversation, she appeased him. "He's good. He got a couple of his pictures printed on the front page last week of the train crash."

Chloe noticed the small quirk in Lex's lip. "I saw them. They were good but he could have used a polarized filter over the lens in that light; cut out the glare."

Chloe stared at Lex in shock. This was the man that until a few days before his world came crashing down was threatening Jimmy. She saw a strange glint in his eyes that made her uneasy. Pushing her almost still full plate away, she realized her hunger was second to her nervous stomach. He was definitely up to something.

"I guess I'll be going. I may make it home in time for bed." Chloe pushed back her chair just to find Lex right behind it holding it out for her. Holding her jacket in the other hand, she smiled limply at his effort to be a gentleman. "Is this how it started?"

"What do you mean?"

"With Lana. The being like a gentleman because it worked with her. It's an act." Chloe turned and looked over at Lex as he tossed the dishes in the sink and started the water. She watched him push his sleeves up and then stare at her.

"I wasn't raised a buffoon."

"Well, I'm not going to ask why you picked her because I know the song and dance and frankly it's past. But it isn't working on me. I was and never will be Lana or anyone like that for that matter." Chloe could feel her chest tighten as the adrenaline in her system was getting out of control.

Lex moved around the counter and toward her as Chloe backed up to the door. She was not going to be cornered. Putting out her hand, he stopped in the middle of the small living room. "No you never were. Besides, I was simply being polite to you just now. And after our unexplainable falling out…"

"When I came back to life from being blown to high hell and you ignored me you mean. And when did you decide to be polite to me?"

"Because tonight I thought we were having a decent evening." Lex moved a little closer to her, taking a deep breath and trying to lower his voice. "And as for ignoring you, I didn't see any reason to make the effort. You never gave me the time of day after that."

Chloe just wanted the conversation to end. She would not let him rile her up like the night at the mansion. Her mouth, though, wanted to finish things. "So, instead you looked down on me and basically told me that my attitude was the reason why I never had a boyfriend." Lex's face went expressionless before he raised his chin to her as she relived his moments before he and Lana became an item. "Yeah, I know you remember."

"Chloe," he whispered.

Chloe put up one hand and cut him off. "No, save it for when you actually mean it." She pulled the door open and stopped at hearing her name again.

The night was not ending the way he had hoped. She wasn't budging, so he went for broke. "Chloe, why did you arrange all of this? Where is all the money for this coming from?" He stood still with his partially wet hands in his somewhat designer pant pockets.

Chloe turned and looked at him, almost sad. He needed to learn on his own. "Good night Lex." She lowered her head as she slipped out the door. Hearing the door crack open again as she descended the stairs, Bates looked back in Lex's direction before walking Chloe out to her car.

*************

"Do you think he'll ever figure out the purpose of this? Figure out why?" The voice on the other end of the phone was obviously concerned for her.

Chloe shook her head as she kept her eyes on the road. She was only a few minutes outside Metropolis now and incredibly late for her nightcap with Jimmy. "He acts as if I'm going to roll over and tell him everything I know."

"If you can't handle the strain, we can put him back in prison."

"It's not that. He hasn't done anything wrong yet to warrant it. Besides, now he would fight the reassignment." She heard the heavy voice on the other line sigh.

"Let me know if you ever need to give this up. It's hard weaving a web this long. We could easily try the other option."

Chloe shuddered at the voice's suggestion. Even with the strangely placed new found understanding between the two, her stomach churned remembering what he was still capable of, what he was apparently still capable of, albeit for different reasons. "I refuse to see him like that again. You didn't see him the way we saw him after what you did to him. You were a different person then. That wasn't Lex then; just his body."

"Similar to now?" The man questioned before sighing again knowing he was upsetting her. "We will continue on this track then."

"Goodnight," Chloe sighed.

"Goodnight Ms. Sullivan."

The Billionaire Bus Boy – Chapter 6

Lex looked at the line of the clean dishes he had carefully stacked in the kitchen ready for the doors to open. He was there an hour earlier than he was required. He couldn't sleep since the dinner he had with Chloe a couple of nights previous. He hadn't seen her reappear at the Talon since that evening and was afraid that she may have handed all her power over to the courts to handle to avoid him.

Instead, he found himself rearranging the kitchen the way that the cook had asked Mark to allow him to do a week earlier. It was simple really; placement of the utensils and dishes made much more sense now for the cook to reach without strain or wasting time. It was a simple move from the cook's perspective but Lex saw the bigger picture. Faster service, even by a few seconds, added up to more people moved in and out of the place equaling more profit. Not that he would see any at his hourly wage. The term gave him shivers.

He turned toward the back door opening and watched Mark walk into the office and immediately throw down the bundle in his hand before looking through the glass of the office and eyeing Lex's strange expression. Walking out of the office, Mark eyed the rearrangement of the kitchen.

"I guess Mario talked to you too. I didn't see why taking half a morning to rearrange made any difference. You aren't getting overtime for this." Mark shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at Lex.

He realized that Lex now was going to at least try to live in decent harmony, more like quiet servitude, for his time in the building. He had been wary when Chloe had first plucked him from his start up restaurant in Chicago after his six months of required therapy with was Isis was complete. He remembered every detail of his incarceration in Lex's prison camp.

Hours Mark spent doing strange experiments as men bigger and tougher than he was even with his abilities stood over him with tasers and sleep serums. The serums had been the worst; the hangover from them made you hope your head exploded before the next round. He had lost a fourth of his body weight in the hole Luthor had him.

Chloe, though, reassured him that things would be completely different. For one, the physical trainers at the new gym were old bodyguards as well as Bates and several other undercover, unnamed, marksmen placed around the Talon throughout the day. Still he wondered when Lex would turn into the man he had seen from the other side of the glass box he was in.

Lex felt the strange vibe that Mark did as well. He watched Mark carefully walk around the simple kitchen as if he was the top chef in a five star restaurant looking at an inspection. Lex understood from the strained look on his face, though, Mark was deep in thought. He wasn't the only one.

In the last couple of weeks, Lex had thought about Chloe's choice for the boss. Mark wanted to be a restaurateur from the time that Lex's men had taken him. At the time, Lex had chuckled at the man's ability to erase memories, thinking it would have helped in the business by making critics forget how bad his little place really was.

But Mark had been an asset that Lex never quite counted on. One of the first acquisitions, Lex remembered Mark had been easily persuaded to host a business dinner in his place, obviously still very naïve to the Luthor meaning of business meetings at odd hours.

Watching Mark's steps now, Mark acted as if every step could be his personal time bomb. Lex wondered if he had been able to rid his own memories of what his task had been, simply touching all those meteor infected before Lex returned them to their homes and families. Still, when Mark was found after the destruction of the Chicago holdings, the experiments were far from over. He only knew that Mark could erase up to a certain point in time and generally it worked better when the person was thinking of that moment at the time.

Now, Lex still wondered if Mark remembered Chloe from his work. He was careful to never speak to both of them as knowing each other before, but knew there had to be a reason for her choosing Mark. True, he had some sense of the restaurant business, but there was more he would hopefully figure out in time. Still, Mark had never been a bad patient and Lex somehow respected the man for not immediately lashing out at him when Chloe disappeared the first day.

But Lex knew from his research on Isis that Mark had great power that Chloe left him with. Lex would be cautious in putting the pieces together because Mark could easily turn the tables on him. Mark was Chloe's fallback plan if she had one Lex thought. Now Mark held the reigns for Lex's finality. Mornings when he was alone with Mark, he waited to see how long it would be before Mark simply lost his cool and took after him with a knife from the kitchen or better yet, touched him. Strangely, Lex wanted it to happen, to see what he would feel.

Realizing that the psycho babble in his brain was causing his loss of immediate focus, Lex watched as Mark passed him carefully in the narrow galley kitchen, eyeing his confusion. "The arrangement now causes less movement on Mario's part. He can get orders out faster without having to walk around as much," Lex simply explained hoping it would suffice. He wasn't in the mood to get reprimanded by one of his old detainees.

"Fine." Mark slipped his phone out of his pocket and walked out through the double doors as Lex continued to stack the last set of clean dishes and then roll his eyes at the stack of napkins that were kindly left the night before for him to fold this morning. Going green sucked, he thought as he trifolded the first one.

A few minutes later he glanced up and saw Mark break into a small grin. Mark didn't generally grin in his direction and it made Lex feel odd. "I have a favor to ask of you."

"A favor from me? If you remember correctly, I'm the prisoner here." Lex tried to make it sound like an insult to Mark to remind him where he came from but it didn't exactly pan out.

"Jake just called and has mono. Apparently his college girlfriend and never mind," he trailed as Lex sneered at him. "I need a bus boy hopefully just through Christmas. I know Chloe had said…"

"It's fine. It'll be nice to interact with people again."

Mark looked unsure at Lex's sideways comment. "You're going to bus tables, not wait. Look, we open in thirty minutes and obviously you still have a lot to get done. I will be out front setting down the chairs and preparing for opening." Mark turned and walked out of the kitchen as Lex chuckled slightly. He still had something, just enough to annoy the boss.

The breakfast crowd had been light for a Tuesday. Besides the few high school students that came in for breakfast tacos and the yoga class participants that came for wheat grass tea, the morning had been light. Lex had breathed a sigh of relief that besides a few errant glances and longer stares from high school girls, no one made a big deal of his being there.

The lunch crowd he was more concerned about, but was still on the light side. Lex wondered if the whole gym, yoga, sandwich shop was just a front for his incarceration because after seeing the crowds on the particular Tuesday, he wondered. Monday was always packed, Wednesday was good in the evening for the before youth group church crowd, and the weekends were packed. He had to come up with something for Tuesday.

He moved along to another table, holding the plastic bin on his hip white trying to keep it from touching anything but the apron he found in the kitchen. Slightly amused, he rolled his eyes every time he wondered what people thought of Lex Luthor in an apron.

"Any chance I could get a refill?" he heard from a female voice behind him. Turning around he eyed the brunette who moved to make herself obviously what she thought, more alluring. She waved the glass playfully in the air at him as she smirked.

"I'll get your waiter," Lex casually answered and started off before he felt a hand take his. Turning around, he looked down in his hand and pulled from the woman.

"Lex Luthor bussing tables. I know they had said you were working here as part of your, how should I put it, rehab. But certainly thought you would be doing something more along the lines of running the place."

Lex eyed the woman before starting silently away from her. When she continued to raise her voice, he rolled his eyes. This was what he had been afraid of, what Chloe had been protecting him from. All of this to help out a supposed meteor freak from having to be short handed today. Walking back over in her direction, he put on the trademark smirk and sat down in the chair across from her.

Running his hand along her outstretched hand, he tipped his head slightly. "Six months ago, you could have easily had a story along with a nice pair of earrings. You're a beautiful woman and obviously quite a vixen for when you need something. Probably very close to my type at one time. However, you can probably guess at my wage now and I'm guessing you're only hear to catch the few lines for the Inquisitor that Chloe Sullivan has missed for the Daily Planet."

The woman's face curled up into a sneer as she pulled her hand from Lex's, noticing now it was not as soft and perfect as she thought it would be. Lex leaned back in the chair and pointed behind his head before continuing. "Now, either you can sample the chicken Caesar salad, which is wonderful and probably all your bird size stomach could handle or as the sign says we can politely refuse to serve you." Lex got up from where he was seated and pointed over in the direction of a pretty red haired girl. "Now, I'll go get your server and you can decide."

The woman sat stunned into silence as Lex Luthor smirked back in her direction and startled the red haired teenager out of her daze by pointing the woman out. The woman got up from her seat, threw down a few bills, and walked out as the little waitress walked up. She rolled her eyes and went back to her place at the bar waiting for someone else to take the seat. Lex walked over and cleaned the table.

Walking back past the teenage waitress, he handed her a five dollar bill that was part of his very unused stipend he was allowed a week. She looked down at the crisply folded note--the exact amount the woman had left her short on the bill--then back up at Lex. Lex just passed her, "it was on the couch," but the little waitress knew better.

At the end of the day, he watched as Mark ran the totals in the office. Lex stared at the pile of dishes that had accumulated over the day while doing his job and bussing tables. Lowering another pile into the soapy water, he noticed it was what he now considered his free night since no one visited.

"Mark, the numbers today weren't good?" Lex immediately got to the point of the question.

Mark looked in his direction and then at the pad in his hand. Lex put the small pad he had been secretly documenting what people had bought, what was advertised, and the tip amounts for the each waitress that were assigned that day.

"When did you find time to analyze this?"

"Cleaning tables isn't exactly hard work, and it gave me time to think. Then during my lunch break, I took the relaxation class. Don't look at me like that. I started noticing something, and if you'll let me continue to work the floor someway I can help."

Mark let out an exasperated sigh and pointed to the chair across the small desk from his. Lex took the pad and made a few more notes. "First, the special for Tuesday does not sell at all, not compared to Monday or Thursday. The vast majority of the clientele on Tuesdays seem to be the men's lunch crowd that want to eat something for a lack of a better term, manly. They spend half an hour in that men's relaxation class before they return to the school or work and your special is vegan for the day. That crowd runs on Wednesdays with the spinning group over from the community college in the big gym. Serve meat for men on Tuesday, period."

Mark stared at Lex and the simple logic. "You were really good at what you did legally."

Lex wasn't quite sure if it was a question or a statement. He couldn't buy it as a compliment either way. Leaving the piece of paper with his scrawled notes on it, he took his pad and disappeared upstairs to finish off Change your Brain, Change your Life. He sighed thinking of the chapter he was avoiding, "The Dark Side."

*******

Things progressed quickly over the following couple of days. Lex continued staying quiet as more people showed up to quietly gawk at the billionaire that wiped down tables and pushed the broom across the floor during the lunch hour.

Lex actually didn't mind as much as he thought he would for being put on display. Besides a few errant pictures and what he was sure was a few more videos shot by camera phones for youtube, people didn't bother him. It was like a warning had been put out by the demeaning Inquisitor princess to not invade the Luthor territory, but he never heard if an article had been written or not.

He looked up from cleaning a table and nearly dropped the plastic bin that he was balancing against his hip. Standing up straight, he eyeballed the man that now met his stare.

"Lex," he spoke casually as he walked up, trying not to act as if anything had ever been between them. But that was where the pleasantries ended. "I see that Chloe really has made good on her word. So how do you enjoy living like the other half?"

Lex stood up and pushed the plastic bin into the booth reminding himself he had to wipe it again later. "Clark, I would say it's a pleasure but I would be lying. Are you here to eat or gawk like the other customers?"

Clark shook his head in disbelief that Lex still felt he had the power or audacity to even say something in his position now. Maybe Lex felt he was still above the law in some fashion. The smugness never seemed to waver, in the courtroom and now even in an apron. Leaning into him, Clark seethed, "I don't know exactly why Chloe is sticking her neck out for you after all the hell you put her through, but if you ever take advantage of your situation or Chloe, the justice system won't save you."

Clark brushed by Lex and headed into the backroom, which led to another way into Mark's office. Lex watched as his complete enemy said less to him in that one conversation than any others as of late, but still made his point. The conversation that Clark had with Lex only a few months earlier seem to hit him again. "There's nothing that's lost that can't be found again." Maybe everyone had given up on him; Clark was the last one to jump ship.

Lex let his shoulders drop slightly, picking up the bin and wiping the seat down, again hearing a camera phone click at the sight. The carnival act was the one thing he had problems living down every night, especially when he couldn't see the results of the shots. He watched Clark again walk past him, glancing at him slightly before he left the building. There was something awkward about the moment he couldn't put his finger on.

******

"Dammit," he scowled at the porcelain bowl and sat back, knowing that the pants he wore would be deemed ruined if he had anything to say about it. He stared at the crystal white bowl in front of him and wanted to scream. He had rarely found something so frustrating in his life, much less while under the state's care. He tried to imagine whether this was Chloe's doing to have these tasks assigned to him or Mark's just getting back at him.

Still, he was not going to give up on the task until it was finished. He looked at the parts that Mark had handed him in a bag as he explained the repairman was busy for two more days but the ladies room had to be fixed. Shaking his head, he wondered why the man had to throw out the directions if there had been any.

He heard the main door to the restroom open and groaned silently, "We're closed."

"I can see why, although I was thinking that most of the lights would be off, but see there's a reason for this one to be on." Chloe squatted unceremoniously next to the other side of the stall and leaned her head over. Even frustrated, Lex hampered a pseudo grin in her direction seeing her face all contorted. "Need help?"

"Are you offering because I look desperate or because you need the ladies room to work by tomorrow?"

"I would say the second one, but at this point, the look on your face says the first one. And no, we're going to have to do this together. I haven't the first clue." Chloe stood back up as Lex stood up and pushed the stall door open.

"You should have installed the industrial toilets in here with the renovations," he quipped wondering what kind of reaction he would get. His first run in with Chloe in what seemed like a week's time, he didn't want her to take off again.

Chloe eyed the thoughts that quietly went across his face. She had gotten better at reading the distinguishable. As if he had blatantly told her, Chloe shook her head. "He's out of town today; some photo assignment with another reporter."

"Ahh," Lex casually dropped and let the uneasy unvocalized moment pass. Handing her the pieces that he was still confused about on the floor, he handed her the pieces he had managed to get out of the toilet to begin with.

The two leaned against the outside wall of the ladies restroom and assembled the ball and cock mechanism the same as the one that he had removed. Lex screwed the last piece in and turned on the water to a flood of spray followed by genuine laughter. "Here, I think we need to screw the bottom piece to the tank a little better," she continued to giggle as Lex dried his face off on one of the towels that Chloe handed him.

"You think?" He shot her a dirty look as he continued tightening the grip on the undertank screw. Turning the water on once again, he felt for any leaks and nodded his head. "Finished."

"Yes, you are," Chloe responded. She leaned against the wall in the ladies room and stared at Lex as he walked over and looked in the mirror. "Don't cry. It's only water. Besides, don't you feel accomplished that you'll never have to call a plumber to do that again."

"Great, I've saved $75." Lex stopped from drying his face off and thought about the remark. Between learning to cook his own meals and fixing up the Talon, it felt strange becoming practical and in a manner of speaking self-sufficient. Glancing at Chloe from the mirror's perspective, she simply stood with her arms across her chest in almost a smug pose. "I guess it could come in handy once I get out of here."

It wasn't quite what she had been fishing for from the experiment but he was getting closer. She reached for her bag that sat in the little powder room and pulled out a folder. "Here, it's not good news but I think it's better than what you could have been offered. I talked to your attorney and he pleaded with the judge. I told them I would bring them to you to look over. The trial date is set for February.

Lex followed Chloe out of the bathroom into the dark main floor of the sandwich shop and sat at one of the tables. Flipping through the documents, he continued to nodded and huff it seemed at every charge that continued to plague him. "Any idea on the punishment if these stand up?"

Chloe sat across from him as he flipped through the rest of the file. "No, like I said the trial is for another couple of months. Your attorney is trying the hasn't he suffered enough plea but I don't think it's going to work."

Lex silently bit his lip as one eyebrow quickly quirked. He knew that plea was dead in the water. "Thanks. Can I…"

"They're yours. If you think of any notes you want to make, let me know." Chloe looked at her watch and smiled. "I.."

"Yeah, it's late. I have workcamp tomorrow morning. Tell me something, why if you had a say in my incarceration did you not fight the whole weekend warrior digging trenches on the side of the road plan?"

Chloe stood up and threw her coat on before grabbing her keys from inside her purse. She turned back and looked at Lex who simply stood and stayed standing when she stood. She tried not to giggle at the strange mental image that made her feel dirty and warm all at the same time. "I thought the people, women in particular, would enjoy seeing you sweat. At least I used to."

Chloe walked out of the front door and locked it, not making eye contact with Lex after the comment. He tried to force the small grin down off his face remembering what she was talking about. Those years ago, in her and her father's own hiding place, she and Lex would try to outdo each other, her on the elliptical trainer and he on the treadmill. Running his hand along his chin, Lex went upstairs quickly and changed before disappearing into the small gym that he never noticed before was set up just like he had done for her years ago.


	3. Chapter 7 to 9

Chloe and Her Band of Merry Men – Chapter 7

Chloe looked at her watch and silently cussed as she picked up her step from the parking lot to the old building on the southside of Metropolis. She could feel her heart thumping in her throat, nervous about the meeting she called. She knew the consequences of her actions and hoped the timing of her meetings wouldn't lead to disasterous consequences.

Opening the door, she smiled seeing that Oliver had made himself comfortable. "Sorry, the editor had all of us in a meeting. Thanks for meeting with me."

Oliver walked over and helped Chloe out of her coat and pulled the chair out at the small dining room table at the small apartment that she had acquired. The one bedroom was there in town more specifically for the meetings she had but it gave her some options when her nights ran long.

"No problem. I brought the information that you asked for but wondered if this is actually going to help you out. Oh, and that folder is the financial statements that you asked for. I'm still confused about the reasoning for the movement of all this money around. He'll get suspicious."

Chloe sat across the table from Oliver and flipped through different statements that Oliver had been able to acquire from the witnesses for the defense in Lex's next case. Chloe wasn't stupid nor interested in corrupting the case unless it seemed he was going to be pulled from his present incarceration. He hadn't quite learned his lesson but she thought he was close.

"He knows that I'm getting funding from somewhere; I think he thinks that it's Lana's cut that she absconded with. It's better if he continues to think that. Besides, right now he has no way to check on the correctness of his assumption."

Oliver nodded and leaned back in the chair, "So what's up with the new apartment? You and the fiancée having issues."

"It's somewhere for me to keep things that he doesn't need to know. Jimmy is…" Chloe couldn't find the exact words to describe his lack of attention to things around him.

"Sweet," Oliver fills in.

Chloe looked up and simply smiled at the very simplistic explanation of him. Closing up the folders, she sighed and looked at Oliver. He watched expressions dart across her face. "So, is everything going ok?"

"Yeah, just really busy. There's not much way to keep from getting tired commuting to and from Smallville and having time to have a relationship." Another spot of silence fell upon the two of them before Chloe looked at her lap and had to know, "How's Lana?"

"Comfortable. She lives quietly with this artist that she met in Poffabro and is selling art and coffees at this little outdoor café."

Chloe simply shook her head wondering if all the mess that the rest of Smallville had gone through in the last few years would have been simpler if Lana had just stayed in Europe. She had never been happy since she had returned from there.

Chloe was the only one that Oliver had told about Lana. He didn't dare open up the wound for Clark since he was finally working toward his destiny. He knew that Chloe had an abundance of secrets that she kept. He had actually been the one to get her out of the country and buried her as deep away from technology as he could. Seeing her a few weeks earlier in Tuscany, he could see face was flush with happiness in her simple skirt and long braided hair. She asked about no one back in Kansas. It was a sign she moved on. Marcello was another sign she had moved on.

"That's good. I'm assuming that since you didn't mention it, she didn't ask about …"

Oliver shook his head, "No, not about anyone." The room fell silent again as Chloe looked at the time and whispered a cuss word to herself.

Apparently her timing wasn't that far off as the door opened and a man in a trenchcoat stood silently in the doorway and stared past Chloe at the blonde haired man across the table from her. "Oliver Queen, I have to say I'm very impressed with your maneuvering of my investments in this wild economy."

Oliver stood up and cocked his chin up. He glanced down at Chloe and huffed. He had watched the news wire that the man had a memorial service. Nodding his head, he smirked and stared at the man as he crossed into the apartment and sat down on the couch. "So how does it feel to have watched your own memorial service?"

"Actually, it's quite disturbing, especially when everything that I had laid out in my final wishes were completely ignored except for the cremation. That was wonderful. By the way, that suspended animation drug is well on its way to being something quite scary to release. I can imagine the complications."

Chloe sat quietly at the table and watched as the two men decided to trade jabs or compliments. She couldn't tell whether they were trying to be civil or were sharpening their claws quietly behind their backs.

"Thank you, but I think that will be the end of the testing. By the way, who exactly was in that urn?"

"Some of the ashes that hadn't been hauled away from the zoo. He apparently had no idea when Chloe told me he basically attacked me when he lost everything." Lionel got up and helped himself to the refrigerator that was already well stocked as if Chloe would need somewhere to go soon. Pulling a drink out, he handed another to his two counterparts.

Oliver glanced at the bottled water and was still trying to find words to explain how he could get himself so involved in this escapade. "Answer me a question since Chloe won't tell me her reasoning. Why?"

Lionel sat down at the table with the other two and twisted the cap off the water and ran his fingers through his now fully grown out beard. He was still dressed well but obviously was looking to cover up his identity some. Longer beard, shorter hair and the glasses now that he wore all the time.

"Lex had become dangerously close to a tyrant. It's understandable for him to be ruthless, possibly at time corrupt, we have all done it in times of needed business, but his reach of control was out of control. Therefore, I played my last card and sold everything out from under him after a little insider trading friend let me know what was coming from the automotive industry and the banks that financed much of what Luthorcorp held. Then he took what he had left and sold the rest for dimes. Unfortunately, when Lex gets nervous his mistakes are more apparent. He could never clean up his own messes well and sold all those other holding to people buried way down in Queen Industries. Then gave his accountant his name and signed away the rest of holdings. George has been a friend of mine since school, but Lex didn't know that. In short, my son needed to be brought down from his pedestal."

Oliver was sitting stunned and glanced over at Chloe. "You knew about all of this? For how long?"

"When Lana became engaged to Lex; he came to me after the incident with my mom. We just waited, hoping the market would take the tumble that economists warned about the last few years."

"But Lana…"

Lionel looked over in Oliver's direction. "She was a fixture in the plan from the beginning. We all knew Lex's weakness. Clark and anything that was Clark's. Lana came back from France and immediately Lex started in on her, barreled right through Jason and never stopped. The problem was that she wavered and I threatened her. If she didn't marry him, the pieces would have never fallen correctly. It was what we call a necessary evil. The unfortunate incident with Lex's controlling her was not my doing."

Oliver turned back to Chloe and questioned her, "So when you said you were concerned that Lana wasn't going to show for the wedding, that was real."

"Yeah, if she hadn't shown, the whole plan would have fallen apart. Your part was purely to handle hiding the accounts."

It was the first time that the three had all been the room together. She knew that juggling Queen with Lionel was going to be daunting. Queen was still confused. "I thought you had difference with Lionel," he commented as he looked at Chloe concerned.

Chloe swallowed realizing that Oliver was referring to the mess she had created for herself and Lex back years before, before Lionel's transformation. She glanced over at Lionel and he nodded and broke a small grin before lowering his eyes. She thought back to when he first approached her about the plan; she was scared out of her mind but he had played on her emotions following her mother's involvement with 33.1.

"The situation was complicated, still is complicated. There are areas that still I wonder if I should trust Lionel. We have an agreement to try and only play our roles and not cross into what we both know was the truth." Chloe's voice dropped into a whisper.

"It's a compromise to save her friends. Lana is now safe; Clark will now follow his destiny, and Lex will start over." Lionel was almost a different person than what Oliver had previously heard, but his sources were long ago and tainted with his parents blood.

The three sat quietly at the table wondering if there was anything else to discuss before leaving.

"Well, I have a meeting with a nice woman from the shoe store," Lionel stood and threw his bottle away before heading for the door.

"Meeting?" Chloe questioned. "Exactly what are you doing now?" She knew he was far from Metropolis now from the phone number of his cell.

"Play golf, walk around the vineyards when I feel up to it. She's a nice woman, reminds me of Lillian before…" Lionel stopped and dropped his head. "Anyway, nice to see you Chloe. Oliver." Opening the door, he almost stepped onto the one person that everyone was avoiding. "Clark."

As the door opened, Chloe's eyes widened in worry. "Oh shit."

Clark looked around the room at the three holed together. "I found an address on something on the fax machine at work with this on it. Said you needed to sign off on it. Thought…what the hell is going on?" He looked right at Lionel who had backed out of the doorway to let him in. He looked in Oliver's direction and held his hand on his forehead as if he was trying not to pass out. "What the fuck are you doing alive and with him?"

The three looked at the absolute shock on Clark's face and couldn't help seeing that even though he was growing up finally, he was still a little behind. "It's a long story Clark, have a seat."

"Glad you two have this. Clark, we will speak soon." Lionel tipped his head and left the apartment. Clark watched as Lionel Luthor, the dead Lionel Luthor walked out the door. He was at the damn service. He had seen the body wheeled away without a heartbeat.

Clark sat at the end of the table in stunned silence. Chloe sat a drink in front of him and took a deep breath. "Remember that big secret I keep of yours? It's time to pay it back." Clark nodded and looked in Oliver's direction wondering how Oliver and Lionel had been in the same room together without bloodshed. He now knew that what he had learned would also stay a secret.

***********

Chloe walked into her and Jimmy's apartment a few weeks after the meeting of the minds. She was incredibly tired after her latest drive back from Smallville. She only had seen Lex in passing mostly, but he seemed to be working on a new arrangement in the restaurant. She warned Mark to reign in his leads in order to keep the upper hand of the situation. She didn't want to give Lex the ability to know too much.

Dropping her things, she saw the rose petals scattered in a trail into the bedroom. It was a month until her wedding and she saw no progress in the plans, but Jimmy seemed to be the romantic in the pair. She was sure he would do a fine job. She just had to practice saying the words, "I do," without choking or falling asleep at the altar.

She followed the petals into the bedroom and saw the lights all off with candles lit in every corner with her fiancée sleeping in the middle of the bed. He stirred and looked up at her and then at the clock. "A little late again."

"Sorry," she whispered. She wasn't really. She wasn't in the mood for romance; she hadn't been in the mood for anything for weeks. She just wanted to sleep for days.

Jimmy sat up and crawled across to the foot of the bed and kissed her neck as she removed her shoes. Chloe moved her neck away as she went to put her shoes away. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just needing to sleep."

"That's all you ever do. I never see you anymore. You would think that I'm the mistress from the amount of time you spend with Luthor or in Smallville. I told you that you needed to let that place go."

Chloe came out of the closet and huffed in his direction. It was 2 AM, and he wanted to start this with her. "Look, I have a lot on my plate. I am very tired; I appreciate that you are taking care of the wedding. Just let me rest."

Chloe changed into her night clothes and dropped herself into the bed as Jimmy wrapped his half bare body up in a robe. "No, I want to talk about this. You told me you would be home like 6 hours ago and then you come in and totally ignore every offer I'm trying to make. When is it going to be our turn? You worry about Clark, about Luthor, your work. When am I going to be part of it?"

Chloe rolled her eyes and rolled off the bed and walked back in the closet. She silently dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt. "Look, I don't have patience to be pushed around or told what to do. You don't understand the sacrifices I have taken for us to be left alone and enjoy our years together when we get there."

"What sacrifices? I'm making them now Chloe. You know what it feels like when I have to share you with Lex Luthor."

Chloe whipped her head around from looking at the duffle bag she was no packing. "You aren't. You're making this a problem by never letting me just come home and enjoy being with you in a few precious moments. When we first started dating you pointed fingers at Clark and I don't think you ever got over that. Now it's Lex. He's a felon; I'm in charge of him. It's pretty simple."

"Not when you are there more than here. That's not simple."

Chloe picked up the bag and ran her fingers through her hair. She was tired. She was tired of lying and avoiding what stared her right in the face every time she left Smallville . "Look, I'm going to wait for you to cool off. I don't have time to deal with this. If you can figure out if you can share me with my career, my friends, and my obligations then let me know."

Opening the door, she dropped the cheesy engagement ring on the side table and walked out. Closing the door, she took a deep breath, realizing that being alone was better than lying until she reached the altar. The night's earlier events in Smallville made sure of that.

Chapter 8 – Shards

It was clichéd. Lex knew it was, but he couldn't see it any other way. Now, he just hoped that he hadn't gotten the wrong impression from the week before. He stared at the table where the conversation started sinking in at the oddest hour.

_"I heard you had some ideas for the restaurant." Chloe sat comfortably across the table form Lex with her pen and paper in hand. "I would know that normally an interview would obviously be a no no, but you have no choice."_

_Lex leaned back comfortably in the chair where he was sitting, crossing one leg over the other and smiled almost frighteningly to Chloe, as if he knew more about what he was doing playing into her hand. "A little. Just rearranged the kitchen and specials of the day a little. And divided a couple of the booths to make more room for couples since large groups aren't really an option." He stopped and watched as she continued writing. "And suggested maybe a simple drink bar in small space between the yoga room and the restaurant. Then, those patrons don't have to wait through those ordering food."_

_Chloe nodded at the idea of Lex's simple idea of expansion. Quirking up the corner of her lip, she tried not to smile at the simple business side of Lex coming out again. Not to the obsessive nature, but just simple. "Interesting. And you are assuming that we pull in enough to support another demolition and another employee. Remember you're already doing work for two."_

_"True, but Mark showed me the figures," Lex stopped at the choked look that suddenly appeared on Chloe's face. "I guess he wasn't supposed to do that."_

_"No, and I will be talking to him about that. But since you already know the income, what are your impressions?"_

_"The gym is sucking you dry." Lex was matter-of-factly in his response. _

_Chloe heaved a sigh of understanding. She had seen the numbers for the entire project herself. _

_"Yoga and the green restaurant seem to work but you have to try something else with the gym promotion. This is essentially a farming community; they work out enough. Maybe contract to the school for the athletics teams since their gym is full of old equipment etc."_

_Chloe continued writing his comments all the while trying to convince herself that he was still in rehab and an evil mastermind. He was playing her into his hand. She simply recorded his thoughts and knew what she needed to talk to Mark about. As she continued writing, Lex disappeared into the small bedroom and returned, putting the same folder in front of her as she had given him._

_"Can you make sure the right people get this information." He pushed the folder across the table and sat back in the chair. _

_Chloe picked up the folder and flipped through the first few pages, seeing the notes made on the pages. "You do realize that I could simply trash this and nothing would come of it in your trial."_

_Leaning closer to her across the table, he smiled as it seemed genuinely. "Yes, but you brought them to me to begin with which means you're either using it to write an expose which has not yet been printed or you actually in some sick way are trying to help me."_

_Chloe slipped the files back into her bag and started for the door without uttering another word. "I'll let you know what happens. Do you need anything?" She dropped almost unnoticeably as she crossed the room and started to open the door. _

_Lex walked up behind her and opened the door, peering out to see where his ever present guard was at. Seeing him busy studying a magazine and nursing a coffee, he gently held the door knob and looked down at Chloe as she inched out the door._

_"Socks. And why you are still doing this? There's something up with this whole plan I can't put together." He leaned into the door frame, pressing her body against it. "You know I could probably help you more if you would just tell me."_

_She hesitated in her answer. She could feel his body heat radiating against her even though he was several inches from her. Her breathing heaved as she was caught between his luscious smell after showing from work and knowing the danger of crossing the line before finding out what his real intentions were. She snapped out of her thoughts feeling him moving even closer to her, leaning his head practically against hers._

_"Socks. I can get those sent over. I'll pass on your notes and let you know the outcome." She inched out from underneath his arm that he was supporting his body against the frame and started down the small set of stairs. "Good night Lex."_

_Lex closed the door without saying anything in return. He knew that she wouldn't have answered and still he wondered what was her motive to any of this. _

Remembering the context, she seemed tense when he talked about business, as if there was something that compelled her not to want to talk about it but she had to. When they talked about his incarceration or other lighter subjects, he saw hints of a faint smile. The only thing that he knew was completely off the table were Lana and Clark. She had become incredibly defensive that night and knew never to touch the topic again.

Still, as he set the table and checked the dinner he hopefully was not preparing for just one, he thought about topics that would get her show off the glimmer of happiness that still was somewhere beneath her surface. If not to see her more relaxed but to help him sleep. It was something about seeing her that made those nights easier to sleep. The bed seemed naturally warmer, and his breathing more even, like years before he … he stopped there.

************

Chloe locked her desk and turned off the computer just as Clark walked into the newsroom and leaned against the desk. "I heard. I'm sorry."

Chloe couldn't talk about it. It had been a week in her new, very desolate place without so much as a visitor. She was not prepared to discuss the engagement that now everyone knew was over. Jimmy had not been very graceful in his telling of the engagement.

"It's behind me." Chloe slung her bag over her shoulder as she started out behind her desk. Seeing the object of her and Clark's discussion coming her way, she ducked out, walking the other way around the tiny main floor of the newsroom with Clark in tow.

"Apparently. Chloe, we should talk about this; he gave me a story that is one for the books. You dumped him for Luthor?"

Chloe's head whipped around and she stared at him. Pulling on his shirt, she dragged Clark behind her into the small storage closet off the stairs from her exit. Staring up at him, she was livid, Clark could tell.

"What did he say?"

"He said you were spending more time in Smallville than with him." Clark saw her huff in response and knew that Jimmy may have seen things a little different even though Clark's impressions had been that she could have scaled back. "Chloe before you go all off on me, remember I told you and Oliver that other people could easily watch over Lex. You're too close to the source of the problems that he caused. I'm worried now that Jimmy might be right."

Chloe rolled her eyes and didn't want to continue this conversation anymore. "Look, first, whatever is going on with Jimmy and me is our business. Second, I am aware as well as everyone I was in the room with that there are probably other ways of going about this. That option has been poised several times by Lionel himself. But his alternative is something you wouldn't even agree with."

Clark leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, "Don't count on that anymore."

"You were the last one to give him a fucking chance. Now, you are turning the table on me? How dare you."

Clark leaned over Chloe's smaller frame and raised his voice while gritting his teeth. "He's hurt you more than once. He took…"

"I'm done here if the next word is that debutante brunette. I am aware of the risks. If I need your help, I will ask for it. Please just stay out of it until everything is resolved." Chloe pushed the door open and started off out the door toward the parking garage with Clark tailing behind her.

Pulling on her arm, she turned around, her face now warm and puffy. "What is it with you and Lex anyway. Why this way?"

"Because he owes me something that sitting in jail won't fix. You won't fix. No one can fix." She pulled from his grip and continued to her car. Watching him follow her, she opened the door to her car and threw her bag across the seat, "Look, you may not like the idea, but just trust me. I wasn't going to let you into the plan until you showed up on accident. Just trust us."

Clark watched as she pulled out of the parking garage and started out onto the street. Clark looked around the parking lot for any others and then quickly followed her car.

**********

Chloe sat in the car and stared at the plea deal that Lex's attorney was able to solidify if he would go for it. Another six months in confinement and a guarantee that his name would never grace the letters CEO again. She knew Lionel had something to do with that decision, but she had not been given permission to ask details.

She sat wondering how Lex would take the whole thing. She knew he would obviously not be happy about the outcome of having any rights to owning anything again stripped from him. He had truly been the victim in this part of the scheme with his attorney, but he had faltered on his own.

She looked out the window up at the light streaming from the apartment and saw the last few patrons piling out of the building. She knew that he had only gotten off work a few minutes earlier. Or wouldn't matter how long she was there; she had no one to go home to now. She wasn't even sure at this point if Clark would want to be around her.

She smiled at the object sitting in the seat next to her. It was a great move on the judge's part, and hopefully something that Lex would appreciate. Climbing out of the car, she slid the heavier bag on to her shoulder and started in the door. "Mark."

"Chloe, you finally made it in time for leftovers." Mark was wiping off one of the last table and disappeared into the back room. Chloe followed him close behind.

"I haven't had a chance to talk to you since my last visit. How is Lex?" She wanted his impression of things progressing.

"He's got a lot of good ideas…"

Chloe cut him off. "Fine, but they need to go through me without discussion. You are NOT permitted to show him any kind of financial statements of any kind. Period. Are we understanding each other. If he has any other brilliant ideas, you clear them through me first and then I will make the last decision. You are the manager, but this is my project."

Mark was shocked at what he was hearing but he knew exactly where it was coming from. Lex had told him these ideas and then had gone directly to Chloe with them as well. Playing both of them against each other. "Look, I'm sorry. I thought his ideas were good, but I wasn't sure if I could get away with them, so I let him look."

"Just let it not happen again." Chloe picked up the latest papers and then curtly left Mark to the rest of the dishes for the evening. She breathed harder feeling that something was different tonight. She heard Mark start out the front door and said goodnight.

She smiled at Bates, "How is he?"

"Good I suppose. He's been up there a couple hours now. Mark let him knock off since he worked late fixing a couple of the pieces of gym equipment that broke. I think he's trying to cook again. He stopped cussing about half an hour ago."

Chloe just shook her head and smiled at bates as she started up the stairs. After the information that Bates offered up, she was curious at what Lex may have heard about her and Jimmy or perhaps she was reading too much into the whole thing. Although, she could use the break from reality whether it be with Lex or a stranger.

Knocking on the door, she was welcomed with a door that cracked itself open and revealed a slightly darkened room. Pushing carefully against the door, she took another deep breath, afraid of what Lex's overtly telling intentions were. "Lex?"

"Come on in. There's some nice apple juice on the table. I actually found it was the best non alcoholic alternative to the meal."

Chloe dropped her bag against the door and carried the other part of her bag to the couch with her. She picked up the latest book he was reading, flipping through the pages. He had highlighted parts of the self help book. "Is it actually working? These ideas?"

"Not so much but there are a couple of ideas I might try – journaling and that sort of thing." Chloe looked in the direction of his voice fully expecting the button down and pressed pants to completely surprised. Lex stopped in the middle of the living room and shook his head in amusement. "What?"

"Just the look," she tried to not smile at the change in wardrobe. "It's different."

"Well, I was done with work for the day, and decided there was no reason to wear good clothes around the apartment."

Chloe nodded suspiciously. "So after years of dressing better than most of us do for church at your home, you've just decided to throw that in? Oh, by the way, " she hauled a bag out of the bag on the couch and tossed the plastic container of socks in his direction. "I got a mix – you didn't say what you needed."

Lex caught the bag and tossed it on the bed in the bedroom. "Thanks. No, I realized that I happened to like the feel of cotton against my skin. It doesn't itch." He halfway smiled and disappeared behind the counter.

Chloe swallowed at the small gesture of the hope that seemed to either be there on purpose or by mistake. She couldn't decide whether this was the real Lex or if he was still trying to get the truth from her. "I just came to drop these things by. They made an offer and I have a surprise."

She heard the door of the oven shut and looked back over her shoulder after pulling the last couple of items out of her bag. She watched Lex as he smoothly, and strangely barefoot, move over to the couch with her and put a plate of bread on the table. "It's toasted with rosemary and olive oil. Been working with the cook in the mornings just to get some tips."

Chloe tired to seem convinced but Lex knew that after the last couple of disasters that she wasn't buying it. He waited until she actually swallowed. Nodding her head, she rolled her eyes. "Well, I don't think I'll die from it. Anyway, your plea bargain."

Lex took the papers from Chloe as she slid out of her overcoat. Reaching back behind her, Lex held the on to the top of the coat as she slipped her arms out. He knew what he wanted to do to warm up to her, not to touch too much but impress that he was slowly trying to give himself a different turn.

Chloe watched as his eyes seemed to skim the pages quickly and then recapture a few things in more detail. His face stiffened as she saw his eyes move the paragraphs toward the bottom. "No companies. What the hell do they think I'm going to do for the rest of my life?" He stood up and threw the folder across the room, watching the stacks of papers fly through the air and nestle to the ground.

Catching one of the papers in her hand, she couldn't remember ever writing anything on green paper before. Opening up the little folded paper, she saw Lex behind her as he grabbed it out of her hand. "What the hell?"

"Nothing, it's probably nothing." Opening up the note, he acted as if he was reading it and then crumpled it up.

Chloe watched as he carefully tossed it into the garbage in the kitchen before helping him pick up the other papers. "Lex, I know this isn't the most ideal situation for you to be stuck here for another six months and lose that type of control, but it is so bad compared to sitting in a prison cell for months? Come on. You may not get everything back, but that doesn't mean you'll be completely out of the picture."

Lex shoved the papers back in the folder and tossed it back on the living room table. "Yeah, just that I can have a company back that may have my name on the damn fucking building but have to sit on a board and have no control. Sounds like the fucking deal my dad made with me after getting back from Hell Island."

Chloe sat down on the couch next to Lex and tried to comfort him without leading him on. She honestly couldn't understand exactly where the plea bargain came from, but now could understand why Lex was angry. "Lex, it'll take time. I'm sure things will pan out better than you think in time. Just clam down and let's see what you have for dinner."

Lex glanced down at his thigh where Chloe had obviously lost her sense and touched him. It was completely innocent he was sure; he probably was getting the same treatment as Clark would during one of his fits over Lana. Shaking his head, hoping to rid it off those two names, he leaned over and huffed slightly. "You sure I might not try to poison you again with awful cooking."

"You made bread that didn't scorch. I'm willing to take a chance." She looked over her shoulder and unceremoniously took her hand off his thigh. He had been right that she hadn't noticed. "Look, the timer says 5 more minutes. Here," she reached around and handed him the last thing in the bag.

Lex set the object in his lap. "What?"

"A quarterly good behavior gesture after begging the judge. It has no Internet capability, but fully loaded for all that journaling you were talking about. Just be aware that the judge made the stipulation that he could take it and inspect it at any time. You can't change anything on it either. I know it's not …"

Lex slid his hand over the silver laptop and shook his head in disbelief. "Thank you." He kept his head down and laid the laptop on the coffeetable before disappearing into the bathroom. Chloe heard the door shut and walked over to the kitchen and pulled out the garbage. Pulling out the green paper, she realized it must have been at the back of the folder.

_I appreciate the dinner conversation. See you soon. L _

Wading up the note, she tossed it back in the garbage and washed her hands before Lex came back into the kitchen. She looked at him and thought she saw something else in his eyes. "Shall we see what dinner looks like tonight?"

The two danced around each other, carefully trying to not touch each other while working together. The two sat and made another quiet conversation that didn't mean anything to anyone but them. The only questions Chloe completely dodged were about his businesses, knowing he thought she had some handle on them. He watched as her face wrinkled funny as he asked about Clark again.

After dinner, Chloe flipped through a magazine as Lex came around the couch with a cup of coffee. "Don't you need to be getting on tonight? Not that I mind the company, but…" and then he stopped. Staring at the hand that graced the edge of the couch, he lowered his voice.

Chloe glanced over and saw his eyes lower from his vantage point and could feel the air around them get suddenly colder. "It wasn't working the way it should have."

"Chloe, it's none of my business," he answered emotionless. He turned and bit his lip remembering the weak arrogance of the little boy that thought he was worthy enough to ask Chloe to marry him. The little child of the Daily Planet couldn't hold her and wasted her life.

"No it's not. And regardless of what happened, you never had any right to interfere or play him like you did." Chloe closed her eyes and looked away, wishing that they hadn't even opened this line of conversation. "Can we just drop it?"

Lex just about answered with close to a silent nod when a loud boom came from well above them before the lights flickered and then went out completely. Chloe pulled her phone out of her pocket and pulled up the weather as the sirens for the town started to go off. "Uncanny how when you and I are together something is coming out of the sky. Come on, we have to get to the lower level."

He felt in the dark for Chloe's hand that she easily offered him just as they heard a rap at the door. Opening the door, he saw Bates there with a flashlight ready to leave them downstairs. "Mr. Luthor. Miss Sullivan. I would suggest a comforter from the bed before heading downstairs."

Lex quickly stalked back into the dark bedroom and pulled the comforter down and met the two back at the door before heading downstairs. Stopping at the bottom of the stairs, Chloe noticed the emergency power kick in and knew that Lex was still securely attached to the system, not that she expected him to run, but he was for a few minutes given the chance. "I'll get some water from the kitchen frig. Where are you two heading?"

"The showers ma'am." Lex hauled up the comforter in his hands again and followed Bates down the hall and into the small locker room units. The shower stalls only numbered a couple for each bathroom and were the smallest enclosed location. Chloe appeared soon after. "It's getting bad. I saw one of the outdoor garbage cans fly down the road. Nothing like a good winter storm to blow up strange tornadoes."

She sat down in the stall with Lex as Bates disappeared to check the stability of the doors and windows. "It happened during last week's storm too. Heard Metropolis got the tail end. Bates and I ended up playing cards in here for two hours. I think I still owe him fifty cents."

Chloe let out a chuckle that she didn't expect to escape. "He beat you?"

"Who knew that the police academy taught counting cards." Lex leaned back against the shower stall and covered both Chloe and him in the blanket. The two sat silently, listening to the sirens start up and go off repeatedly. The clacking of the metal signs on the side of the building seemed to get louder as the wind howled more. The small emergency lights flickered and Chloe's breath hitched, realizing that Bates had not returned.

Lex looked over at her face and noticed the worry that crossed it. Seldom had he seen Chloe truly scared, concerned like she was at that moment. He wished he knew why, but wasn't sure why he cared. He was supposed to be playing her to get answers out of her. Then the lights flicked once more and went off. The power was out. Lex pulled the blanket up on over him a little more and noticed the one little light on ankle bracelet was out. He knew.

"I'm not going to run Chloe, he spoke quietly into the complete blackness. There wasn't even enough of a glimmer from the clouds and lightening to see her face. He sat silent and couldn't feel her body even move under the comforter.

"Where's Bates with the goddamn flashlight?" She didn't even acknowledge Lex's statement. She was afraid to thinking he would want to pursue the whole thing. This hadn't been her first go around with Lex in a dangerous situation. She wanted to almost laugh at the irony of it all. The last time they had fought, the last thing that seemed to tear them apart was the last meteor shower. She shook her head silently hoping he wouldn't bring it up.

"He'll come back. He was really good at nailing down everything last week before coming back inside. All the crates and such we had to pull in before they blew away." She still wasn't talking. He wracked his brain for something to talk about. He knew the last big storm Clark had left her at the prom for Lana. Fucking waste of a date. Then there was the time…

"Remember the night you got stuck in the safehouse with me?" Chloe asked quietly into the dark. We played that game, "I'm going to Grandma's. I couldn't believe I had to teach you – every kid knew that game."

"I wasn't exactly a normal child with a normal childhood."

Chloe could barely catch a small chuckle. "No," dripped sadly from her lips. "Did you ever get to be a child?"

Chloe rolled her head back against the shower wall, knowing that somewhere in the dark across from her was Lex, possibly looking in her direction. She didn't expect him to answer. All she could hear was his lips slightly move and the ever present wind. "When I was with my mother at her family's ranch."

"Ashamed you brought such a black eye to the place when you turned it into your own meteor infected zoo." Chloe bit her lip and covered her mouth, wishing that she could backpedal the last statement, but it was out there now. Now he could easily, get up, and leave.

But she didn't feel him move, speak, couldn't even tell if he was even breathing anymore. She closed her eyes and almost hoped that when she woke up from her awful dream that he would escape.

"A modern day Hitler," she heard in the silence.

"What?"

"A Jew crucifying the Jews."

"I really need to get you some more reading material. Hitler wasn't Jewish. He was crazy. His family had a history of mental illness that he tried to cover up."

Lex nodded in the dark and wished she could see the almost proud look on his face for catching her in his own purposeful stupidity. "Great, so instead of me collecting meteor infected because I might be one, I just was doing it because I'm going slowly insane instead. Thanks."

He heard Chloe huff at the remark. "No, I didn't mean it like that. Anyway, maybe since we're both here and you seem to be willing to talk, tell me why all of it."

Lex shifted under the comforter and stretched his feet out against the wall beside Chloe. She wondered if he was sitting as stiffly as it felt from under the comforter. The wind picked up again and she heard a noise that sounded like metal on metal before her car alarm went off. "Guess you'll be here awhile," he quipped. Nothing.

"I have the desire to learn things. Chloe, those things attacked me, possessed me, killed numerous people."

"But the real reason stems from your father and a trip into Smallville years ago. Obsessions are unhealthy. You didn't lose Lana to the meteor shower or your best friends to aliens, you did that yourself."

The room fell silent again as the two saw a flashlight heading toward them. Bates was soaked through the skin and carrying several more towels with him. Sliding against the other wall, the three could finally see each other. "It's bad out there. I think your car is going to be a little wet inside. Something went through the windshield. How are you two holding up?" Bates asked as he switched on the radio he found to listen to the report.

"As well as expected." Bates checked over Chloe and then looked at Lex.

"The power is completely out Mr. Luthor. I have my orders to shoot…"

"He's not going to run. I think he would have tried already," Chloe interrupted Bates' firm and obviously practiced statement. The two sat and listened as the weather band radio kept replaying the times for the warning to expire and the actual locations of the rotations.

The three fell silent as the whirring and now strange roaring sound overtook the sound of the radio. Several windows could be heard shattering. Lex guessed the larger plate windows in the front of the building were the first to go. Taking a deep breath, he reached for Chloe's hand, realizing she could easily refuse and Bates would obviously see.

Chloe stared in the direction of the main building and bit her lip. Lex could see her chest shake in nervousness. "Wasn't this bad at the dance?"

"No, it missed the school mostly." She scooted against the wall and acted as if she needed to brace herself against something as the radio station went to static. Bates turned the radio off and handed towels to Lex and Chloe.

"Take the comforter; I grabbed a tablecloth." Bates shifted with Chloe. He wasn't sure how close Chloe wanted to be with Lex, but he was absolutely sure he didn't want to cuddle with the man.

Chloe switched places as Lex pulled the comforter over her and him as the roaring wind got louder and more glass popping occurred. He felt her head fall into his lap as she gripped his hand tighter. Forgetting everything they had been talking about and the argument that was sure to ensue, Chloe closed her eyes and could only feel Lex's hot breath on her as the howling increased around them.

********

"We've got a lot of cleanup. I think Mark is on his way in right now. How's she?" Bates asked as Lex rubbed his hand along his scalp. He was somewhat sweaty after the several hour huddle. Pulling the comforter down from over her face, her hair was twisted and sweaty.

"She's still asleep. I think she went out about an hour ago," Lex whispered as Bates nodded his head. "I'll try to get her upstairs and then come down to start clean up." Lex watched as Bates disappeared out of the locker rooms and then looked at Chloe.

She had never steered from his lap. Her one hand still clung to his thigh and beads of sweat still attached themselves to her forehead. Taking one of the towels, Lex wiped her face as best without waking her up. He leaned back against the shower wall and stared at her. He could barely see the scar from where her chip had been put in. He knew she had it removed someway. He wanted to finish the discussion that they had started but it seemed the wrong time now. Running one finger through her hair, he was strangely mesmerized like never before. She had faith to a fault, his fault. All of it was his fault.

"Mmmm," she moaned softly, obviously not aware of who was running his fingers along her smooth face. "Is it over?"

Caught from his thoughts of who she could be thinking about, he barely smiled down at her sleepy eyes when he realized she knew it was him. "Yeah. Now for the clean up." He continued to run his hand along the side of her face, not sure why but she didn't stop it.

Closing her eyes, she almost could feel the double meaning in his words. They did have a lot to clean up. It had started last night. She honestly thought it would take him longer or he would be more devious about the whole thing. Pawning off the thought that he was obviously still playing her, she swatted his hand away and sat up. "Let's go see what we can salvage," she commented as she broke a smug grin and offered to help him up, sure his legs were asleep after all night.


	4. Chapter 9 to 11

Chapter 9 – Blood, Truths, and Tears

Chloe walked out in front of Lex and sighed as she looked at shards of the front windows dangling from where they were still not completely broken. A sign from across the street had blown through one she could suspect. Glass everywhere, furniture ruined and rain still whipping into the foyer of the restaurant. Her mind started going over all the paperwork that was about to add some more time to her life.

She glanced over her shoulder at Lex, already with a broom in hand and trying to carefully set up what he could. She had spent the night with him was her first thought. Not exactly the way someone would picture, but all the same. Honestly, she had worried dreadfully when the sirens first went off, but as the night wore on, he acted more like Lex, not Lex Luthor. Shaking her head, she thought she was being paranoid overanalyzing the evening.

"Chloe? Are you hurt? Did he hurt you?" She whipped around to see Clark standing in front of her. "I saw your car outside as I was 'going' into work. What's going on?"

She could hear the exasperation in his voice and shook her head trying to stave off his thoughts.

"I got caught here last night during the storm," she trailed off. "Oh God, look at my car." She pushed past Clark, now eyeing the remainder of what was her car. Turning back around, she noticed Lex walking up behind Clark. Trying to motion to Clark to back off, she just cringed.

"Nice, you could sell it for parts," Lex shook his head and tried to make the statement come out as a joke that fell flat as the icy stare from Chloe obviously meant she wasn't in the mood. The one side of the movie marquee laying in the center of her car, crushing the top into a V shape was not what she pictured when Bates had said it would be a little wet.

"Shouldn't you be sweeping something?" Clark asked as he stared at Lex.

Lex seemed unfazed by the insulting question. Staring back at the young man who now apparently had totally given up on him to the point of protecting Chloe from a penniless convict, he smiled. "Clark, I don't see your truck anywhere and judging by the powerlines hanging and fizzling on the street, I can't imagine it was safe to walk. How did you get here so soon after the storm passed? And on your way to work? Are you walking to Metropolis?"

Clark just glared back at Lex and ignored his snide remark. "Have to find something to twist to fit what you think is happening. I don't ever have to explain myself to you again."

Chloe pulled on Clark's jacket and spun him around. "Clark," she shot pointedly.

Lex nodded slightly and huffed. "Never mind Chloe, I'm on the clock now. Let me know if I can do anything for you." Lex glanced in Clark's direction with no ill will on his face and dropped, "Clark," as Clark rolled his eyes and stared at Chloe.

"You believe this line he's feeding you? Chloe come on." Clark paced behind her as she circled her car, careful to not step on other debris. "You can't believe that he is actually that fucking sincere."

Chloe stopped in the middle of the street, carefully standing between debris, across her car from Clark. "No, but the man regardless of his lack of total spine showed he wouldn't let me die last night. There is a shred of dignity in that body somewhere, and you aren't giving it a chance."

She stepped back over to the curb and stared up at Clark. "Besides," she whispered, "He has a point. You can't just pop in here like that and expect for people to just buy your lame excuse for just being here, especially him. Just go home Clark. Don't go into the Planet – we can't make it – the roads aren't clear. Or go help someone – someone other than me."

"What's that mean?"

Chloe closed her eyes groaned in irritation. "It means I have work here, I'm stuck here, and I'm fine," she pointedly ended the conversation and turned toward what had conceivably been the door as sirens approached.  
Clark stared at her as she walked back through the door that was about to fall off its hinges. He watched as she moved about the Talon giving instructions to Mark and Bates for what they could do before Lex approached her. Listening, he wondered how far Chloe may have fallen. Hers was a dangerous game that played to Lex's advantage last night.

"Anything I can do," Lex asked.

"Yeah, I'm starving and have to go make some phone calls in the office. Is there a way you could whip something together for us for breakfast, for all of us?"

Silently, Lex set the broom in the corner and disappeared into the kitchen. Clark stood on the street in disbelief until he saw Chloe frown at him and disappear behind the same doors, to the office he assumed.

**********

"Slow down son, what are you rambling about?" Lionel tried to stretch out on the soft couch in the small condo he now had far from the holds of Metropolis and Smallville. Putting his hands behind his head, Clark was taken aback by the now strangely acting Lionel Luthor.

"Chloe is falling for Lex all over again. She had a crush thing for him back when she and he put you behind bars. Your whole plan is going to fail if she crumbles under him like he's hoping. He wants her to fall where he can take advantage. You need to get her out of the situation."

Lionel rubbed his now longer beard and pushed out of the seat, walking around the small living room, ornate, but much tinier than Clark would have expected. Looking in Clark's direction, Lionel wasn't sure what to make of the new development. Clark explained they had been trapped together for the evening, but under the conditions, were probably not thinking of romance.

"I want to show you something," Lionel calmly remarked as he disappeared into another room. Clark followed him and watched as the older Luthor dug through several boxes that were unmarked and wondered what could possibly be more important than worrying about Chloe. "Here it is."

Clark followed the man back into the main room as he inserted a CD into his computer. Pointing the computer toward Clark, Lionel leaned back into the couch again, knowing to the letter what was on the disc.

PDF files asked to be loaded and Clark glanced at Lionel, who motioned for him to happily click one. Clark couldn't make out the titles, they were just lists of letters and numbers. Watching one open up, he was shocked to see Lex's fine scrawl on something that had obviously been scanned.

A,

Hope this finds you as well as can be. Believe me, the warmth of being where you are is immensely better than the horrible rains we have had this year. Your father is well. He asks about you everyday that he writes. I sent him the picture you sent me through the courier a few days ago. Nice touch with the security by the way.

I can't make it this week. Controlling dad's appeals in court at the same time as hoping the South American markets don't fall apart around a rampant drug lord is keeping me busy. I hope you understand.

It's not quite the same discussing the end of the Roman Empire with myself anymore. I miss your childlike ways of looking at history through those fictitious things they call textbooks. Clark is ever charming; still mad as hell with me although I have tried to meet him halfway. Don't you ever get tired of his 'antics'?

I'll see you soon. Don't give up on me yet.

J

Clark flipped to another file that was another letter from Lex to Chloe, all hand written apparently and personal. Looking at the lists of codes, he found several with the numbers at the end reversed and opened it.

J,

One more week. I can't believe there's only one more week of this shit. I can't stand being here anymore. These people, no offense, make the farmers look incredibly bright. When you decide to put me into hiding again, could you please pick somewhere that doesn't make my brain feel like its dying a slow, tortuous death? That would be really helpful?

On the flipside, I enjoyed the book you sent me. It had some very interesting details on the area and why these people get so conflicted when The War is not World War 2. People here really need to move on.

I enjoyed seeing you day before yesterday, even if it was for only a few hours. I had forgotten how much I missed that. Although, I'm not really looking forward to going back to square one when I come back. You sure things have changed for the better? If so, why the whole act we have to put on, besides the whole being in high school thing for me. It's not like people haven't noticed your lack of…ummm…dates lately.

Just think about it. And hopefully we can finally get past all this someday and get on with it. Barring Clark freaking out beyond compare. Sorry, he's being an ass. He'll come around.

Love, A

Clark was stunned. He flipped to another letter. 'A woman laughed like you in the Talon yesterday and I nearly lost it,' Lex wrote in his handwriting. The words that suggested something far more than the small partnership they had developed to bring Lionel down.

"So were they…" Clark couldn't finish his sentence knowing what he could picture and hopefully it not being anything of the sort.

"I honestly don't think so. Lex is a smart enough man to not make an amateur mistake like bedding a teenager." Lionel stopped and closed the laptop before making his way to the kitchen to pour himself a drink. Clark followed, grossly concerned now more than ever for Chloe's safety. "However, I think there was more than a partnership there at the end." Lionel fell silent as he stared into his glass before smirking and throwing the remainder down the drain.

Clark glanced at him funny.

"The non-alcoholic stuff is not quite the same. It's not quite anything."

Lionel walked back into the living room and watched as Clark paced the room as he did whenever he was concerned about something he couldn't fix immediately. "Son, you've got to calm down. If she knows that you know, I have the distinct feeling that the betrayal you felt when she found out your secret will be minute compared to this."

Clark whipped around and stared at the man and then at the computer again. "Have you read them all?" Clark paused afraid to put the words out there. "Did he love her?"

Lionel closed his eyes and pressed his head back into the cushions, afraid that the young man would ask the question. "I have read them all. They were very friendly in nature up to the last couple. Something slight had to have changed. But I again stand by knowing my son. He wouldn't have crossed that line."

"No, he waited until after Lana graduated."

"Be that as it may; we could all see that from the beginning. Unfortunately Chloe ended up being a tragedy instead of getting what she wanted. Lex continued on his plan without ever giving her another thought."

"Did he love her or just play her?" Clark sat down across from Lionel and reached for the computer as Lionel smoothly picked it up and sat it beside him.

"Son, reading anymore won't give you answers. Many drone on about history and ethics." Lionel cocked his head to the side and smiled, "She couldn't get him to bite on any ethics. She said his ethics would bite him in the ass. But no, he didn't play her and Lex rarely, if ever, understood the word love enough to use it. I fault myself for that."

"Did she love him?"

Lionel sighed heavily and looked up from his stare on the floor. "Undoubtedly." He watched the expression on Clark's face continue to shift to more and more concern for his friend. "But I have to say that his…reluctance to admit his feelings to himself as well as her feelings that are probably still there, floating dangerously at the surface, are the two reasons that Lex is playing along."

Clark sat back in the seat and groaned. Now he understood why Lex didn't run as soon as his brace had gone off during the storm. He wasn't tied to the building. He had been shot before and made it further than most; he was staying for Chloe.

"But, don't think he's just there for Chloe. He's got more going on in his head than he's admitting and more than what Chloe can get out of him. The advantage is that Chloe sees something that even you have lost in your Lex, hope." Lionel stood up and started into his bedroom. Calling from the other room, he hoped Clark would get the message. "I would love to delve deeper into this tonight, but my lady friend is stopping by tonight for a silent movie and…"

Pulling his tie tighter around his neck, he heard the door close after a quick whisp of air.

***********

Glass had finally arrived after three weeks. Chloe arrived in her new car as Lex opened the front door for the glass repairman. He had to shake his head in shock that someone with Chloe's pull and probably now her money took so long to get something done about the front of the Talon. Not that losing one's car on the same day didn't take precedent. Still, it was hard to make massive sheets of plywood look inviting even if they were painted green with the restaurant's name on them. Smiling, he was personally proud of that one piece of artwork he completed a week ago.

But it was time for them to come down. "Hey, is the owner here?" The gruff man with the clearly labeled, 'Bud,' on his shirt smacked on gum and looked over the rest of the property.

"She's right behind you," Lex smoothly answered and took Chloe's coat as she started to shimmy out of it. She had been smart today to wear a pants suit, with the weather near freezing again today. "Hey."

"Hey," Chloe looked up from the clipboard as the 'gentleman' started rambling about caulking temperatures and the lack of manpower. Lex watched as the man discussed the details of the installation to Chloe and wondered why she needed to stand there and listen to it. She paid him; he does the work. She didn't need to know the details. He watched her roll her eyes as he wiped down tables.

"What is it?" He asked as she passed him in a huff.

"Nothing, except his other hand is out today and so the glass is here BUT can't be installed. I'm fucking sick and tired of all these people and their crap excuses."

"Then call someone else to do it or pay him his portion and I'll help put the glass in."

Chloe stopped in her tracks as she rounded the cashier area. Turning her head in almost a robotic motion she stared at Lex. "And when did you ever lend a hand when something didn't get done the right way the first time."

"I didn't, but I had a few more resources at my disposal…then." The two continued to gaze at each other until Chloe looked back over his shoulder and at the gruff man in the gray shirt. He was on the phone, more than likely trying to find alternates to get the job done where he could get paid. The bottom line was all about money.

Chloe rolled her eyes, "Fine. Whatever, just don't forget everything else you have to do."

"Chloe, you ok?" She stopped counting the drawer and shook her head.

"I'm tired. I haven't written a decent damn article in a week, so I don't get paid. I freaking live here but not really and the heating bill is through the roof since that plywood had to go up. So no, I am decidingly not ok." She looked up at Lex who cocked his head to the side as if she was attacking him. "Sorry."

Chloe pushed the door to the kitchen and the back office open and disappeared as Lex walked over to the man who was still talking on the phone, now in Spanish. 'He's trying to hire goddamn illegal's…never done that before,' Lex sarcastically thought to himself.

"Bud," Lex tapped the man on the shoulder, "how about we just go on and get started on the glass." He watched the man hang up the phone and eye Lex with confusion.

"Aren't you Lex Luthor?"

"Yes." Bud looked at him again and nodded, somewhat hmphing at the same time.

"Ok, well come with me and we can get the plywood out first. You may want a jacket outside. It's damn near bone chilling."

Chloe eyed the two men a couple of hours later as she walked from the kitchen to the storeroom. Whether he was faking it all or actually was trying to be a better person, she didn't care, but he was working.

*****

"CHLOE!" Chloe's head popped up from the desk in the back room and she leapt from the chair hearing Mark screaming her name from across the empty restaurant.

Running out in to the main foyer, she stopped, gasping and covering her mouth at the sight. "God, what happened?" She screamed across the foyer as she raced over to the sight of the accident.

"I heard something like screaming then a crash. And this. Bates is calling 911." Mark moved to Bud's side to check him for wounds, but only saw some superficial wounds, but he was knocked out cold from the fall.

Chloe's hands shook as she knelt next to Lex in what could only be his blood that had dripped slightly onto the floor. She didn't know whether to touch him or just talk to him. His eyes were still open but the gash was deep with the glass protruding from what could only be his stomach.

"Lex, talk to me." She tried to keep calm as she unconsciously took his hand in hers.

She could hear his words trying to force their way through his throat as what she could only picture was blood rising in his throat. Gurgling through the fluid, she heard, "It hurts."

"I know. 911 is on its way," Chloe continued holding his one hand as his grip tightened around her fingers. She propped his head up from the floor on her knee and tried to smile down at him. "Quit trying to look Lex."

"It just came down," he fought out the words, breathing in almost a hissing sound as he squinted and closed his eyes. "It was balanced in my hand and it fell."

"You're going to be ok," Chloe slowed her words as she watched more blood soak into his shirt. The glass seemed to sink further into him the more times he would breath. Pointed she figured, it would soon lodge, too delicate to move.

Chloe kept watching his shirt darken as blood continued from around the wound. "Anything I can do over there?"

Chloe looked up and then back down at Lex. "Yeah, is he going to be ok?"

"Yeah."

Chloe stopped and looked at Lex as his eyes began to roll into the back of his head. "LEX!" Chloe's hands shook as she removed her hand from his and slid them under his shoulders propped up on her. "BATES!"

Bates ran over across the Talon floor as she noticed the blood was now starting to pool on the floor below Lex. He knelt down next to Chloe and waited for her as she started to cry over Lex's face. "Chloe," she heard in a bare whisper.

Looking down into his blue eyes, she saw his eyes roll back in his head as he struggled to move his mouth and trying to avoid the guttural noises that the pooling saliva and blood was causing. "Chloe, fix me."

"Lex, we called 911."

He reached for her hand. "No, I know what you can do." Chloe's eyes locked onto his in horror. Her breathing changed and he could feel her starting to shake in his hand. "It wouldn't be the first time you saved me. Please," he choked as blood trickled from his mouth.

Chapter 10 – Resurrection

Chloe was frozen. She listened to the words that Lex dropped. He knew. Thoughts ran through her head of the experiments that she knew now that he had been doing on the meteor infected. Her disappearance. Thoughts choked her conscience. She couldn't move except for feeling Lex's head start to fall to one side on her hands.

Looking down, blood ran from the corner of his lips down the sides of his face, leaving tracks all the way around his head. She looked over at Bates, who now had a towel under his head and around his body. "We have to move him."

"Chloe, he could die."

"He's going to die anyway this way. Look, just trust me. If we can pull the glass we could have a chance." She reached for the shard sticking out of his abdomen and hoped that it wouldn't send him into any more shock. Bates and Mark still stared at her as if she had lost her mind. "Look, he's right. I can fix it, but I have to get the glass out."

Bates carefully rolled his sleeves up and took another clean towel in his hand. Gripping the piece of glass, he pulled at the same angle that the glass looked like it went in. Chloe watched Lex as his mouth gaped open in pain and more murky liquid ran out. "Lex, you have to stay still," she whispered as her hands could feel the stiffening on his shoulder blades on her.

Hearing her voice, he closed his eyes again, but without losing consciousness this time. "It's out," Bates announced as he wrapped the glass in the towel and pressed against the now quicker oozing of the wound.

Chloe looked out the door and the windowless front and couldn't see or hear the ambulance yet. Looking at Mark and Bates, they could tell her torn concern for Lex and herself. "Listen, when its done, you've got to take Lex to clean up and take me to his room. Get the blood up as fast as you can. Throw something over it if you have to. Understand?"

The two nodded not knowing what exactly she was going to attempt to do. She looked down as Lex's head as it rolled again to the side and she set it up straight between her thumbs and his eyes opened. "Are you…are you…"

Chloe heard the mumbles that couldn't quite form a question. Closing her eyes, she pulled her hands out from behind his head and let him fall against her knees as her blood covered fingers now pressed against his abdomen, more blood running between her fingers.

She squinted, trying to convince her body to create another miracle. Clark would most certainly argue with her for saving Lex when he didn't want to even save himself just a few months earlier. Then she remembered the night of the tornado. He hadn't ran; he protected her, entertained her, was the person that she remembered from years before.

Bates moved back as the light grew like a thousand light bulbs around her and Lex. And then it was gone. Bates jumped to catch Chloe before she fell back against the floor and then sat in awe with her tiny body in his arms. Lex moved; he moved, sat up, and wiped the remainder of the blood from his face with his sleeve since the shirt was already useless.

Turning around, Lex saw the ghostly features of Chloe's lifeless body. "Take her up to the room. I'll clean up." Bates, without missing a beat, took the orders from the inmate, scooping Chloe up in his arms and disappearing into the apartment with her. Lex stared in Mark's direction.

"Is she going to be ok?"

"She should, I hope," Lex answered not quite sure himself. The pale gray features of her face worried him.

"Do I want to know how you know?" Mark asked accusingly before handing Lex a bucket of a bleach mix.

"No," Lex shortly answered as he started on the floor.

The floor looked as best as expected by the time the emergency personnel showed up and took care of the man that was installing the glass. When the paramedics finally got him to come to, he couldn't remember whether Lex had been injured or not. The man's concussion was obviously going to make the glass installation a little longer.

Lex watched from the kitchen window as Mark explained what had happened and that no one else was hurt. Still covered in his own bloody shirt, he remembered while scrubbing his hands how hard blood was to remove from skin. The scene caused his chest to clinch slightly, remembering the times he had washed other's blood off his hands. It seemed like a strange lifetime ago that he had committed such things. And the smell; he felt as if he would be sick if he couldn't get rid of it soon.

He glanced back out of the kitchen window and saw the paramedics coming back for their final bag. Mark started into the kitchen. "Coast is clear. Go clean up and see about Chloe."

"I have to…"

Mark shook his head. "Lex, I know you want to check on her. Go. I can sweep up broken glass. Besides, I don't think we're going to be open for a couple more days." Mark pushed through the kitchen door and Lex watched him eye him again.

Returning to his apartment, he saw Bates just stare at her. "I wasn't sure what to do with her," Bates said as he moved toward the door. "Let me know if there is anything else I can do." Bates closed the door to the apartment and left Lex standing in the middle of the living room staring at the young woman wrapped in a blanket on the uncomfortable couch that she had bought for him.

He pulled a chair up next to the couch and looked at the way Bates had curled her up and then saw her hands, covered in his blood. She had once aimed a gun at him and now had saved him even though she was possibly more upset with him now. She couldn't be like this for what he didn't know would be how long.

Picking her up in his arms, he pulled the sheet back on the bed and laid her on top. Disappearing into the kitchen, he returned to her side with the same chair and a bowl of warm soapy water. He dipped the washcloth in the water and began at her elbows. The blood smeared and the smell returned when it was moistened. Cringing at the streaks that it left on her arm, he wrung out the cloth and started again.

The process continued for another few hours as he cleaned under her well manicured fingernails until he couldn't see remnants of his saving. As if pouring the bowls of pinkish water down the drain was slowly washing the guilt of asking her to save him, this time or any other.

Throwing the sheet over her, he watched as his hands slid her bloodied pants off and a set of his bottoms slipped on over her legs, careful to keep the sheet clearly covering his view. The shirt was much trickier, but he simply turned and flinched guiltily when his fingers grazed her breast through the bra.

Carefully folding her clothes, he wasn't sure what she would want to do with them. He knew what he would do if he was her. Sitting in the chair next to her again, he had prepared some soup and a bottle of water, not knowing what would happen when she woke, or when.

He had done the experiments on her. He knew her power to heal. And yet felt guilt for taking what could be her last opportunity. He sat and watched the clock as the hours ticked away. He read some of his latest book from the shelf and thought about what he was going to say, considered typing it up and leaving it on the laptop for her to find.

He shook his head and smirked to himself at the 'plan' he had just a few months ago. He was going to simply lure Chloe back to his graces by playing the good inmate, by following the rules, and then springing his true self on her just as he is allowed to leave. It was the perfect plan except for the final straw. Looking at her sleeping, or what he could only figure was her sleeping, his plan had a slight kink, or two. He wasn't sure what exactly he going to do once free and he was falling for the woman that couldn't stand nor trust him.

He didn't know how long she would be asleep. He grabbed a blanket off the end of the bed and went into the living room. Laying down on the couch, he stared at the ceiling and closed his eyes in thought.

******

Lex woke in the most uncomfortable position. Scrunched into the chair, his feet were propped up on the end of the bed with his arms crossed. He honestly had become worried that she wouldn't wake up; he had never had the gall to actually use her blood in any of his developments so he knew nothing of the after effects. With his eyes still closed, he heard a moan that he wasn't quite sure if it was his. Carefully opening his eyes, he saw one eye of the blonde staring up at him.

Peering outside, he tried to resist smiling back in her direction, not knowing how she would react. "Evening," he whispered.

Chloe turned slightly to her side and barely opened the other eye to actually see an opened water bottle already in front of her. "Thank you," she bated as she tried to sit up. She could feel his arm under as she sat up in the bed. After several long gulps, she cleared her throat. "How long?"

"Three days." Lex shook his head. "I would have never asked if I knew the repercussions. How long was it the last time?"

"What do you mean?" Chloe could still barely see straight but noticed her clothes had been changed and she was comfortably gathered in warmth of blankets all around her.

"The gunshot wound. It had to be you regardless of what my father told me. No plastic surgeon can create a miracle like that regardless of my healing abilities and no vials were left over from Queen's experiments."

The room fell silent as Chloe continued on the bottle of water. Noticing the end nearing, Lex retrieved another from the fridge and sat down next to her as she swung her legs out over the side of the bed. Looking up at him, Chloe couldn't help but ask. "Two days. It gets longer every time. Clark is afraid one day I just won't wake up."

"As he said yesterday," Lex quietly added.

Chloe's head shot up quickly before she swayed slightly, causing Lex to rake her arm to steady her. "Yesterday?"

"He was looking for you after not being able to get a hold of you. I explained what happened and he was pretty pissed. But I bargained with him telling him that you were better off not being moved, so I suggest you call him when you feel up to it." Lex lowered his eyes and shook his head. There were very few things that he and Clark agreed on anymore except for Chloe. "Clark and I decided that you aren't going to use your powers again after he explained to me what happens."

Chloe sneered and put the water bottle down. "I know that you and Clark agreeing on something is a monumental turn of the positive but you can't dictate my life for me, neither can he." She pushed herself off the bed and shuffled across the floor, noticing the immense drag of material of the pajama bottoms.

Lex sat and watched as she disappeared into the bathroom and couldn't quite find the words to tell her. Hearing the bathroom water starting, he went and warmed another can of soup for her, knowing her liquids most likely needed to be replenished.

Chloe stood in what used to be her bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror. She had a hard time wrapping her mind around the fact that Lex had simply sat vigil at her bedside for three days and convinced Clark that she was ok. The last part was strangely the hardest part to accept. She was actually amused at both men saying they wouldn't let her use her powers again. It was a strange feeling being the one that always seemed to keep Clark and Lex as close as they could together. She would have to talk to Clark soon.

Still, Lex was something different. It was the second time in as many weeks that he had been there for her and not because he had to be. A hospital or returning to the farmhouse could have easily had been the other option, and yet Lex took care of her. She looked at the overly large rumpled shirt she had on and noticed her bra was still there. She felt flushed not knowing how exactly Lex changed her. She wasn't quite sure she wanted to know. Regardless, she was alive and knew Lex was hopefully slowing turning a corner whether for himself or her; at this point she didn't care the reasons.

She silently sat down at the table across from him and started eating slowly. Pushing his spoon through the bowl of broth, he couldn't meet her eyes. It astonished him at the sheer power of her mortality being something that would move him. A few months ago he tried to casually strip that away. "You just mean too much to me and Clark to lose you the next time. But I know we can't order you."

Chloe dropped her spoon and gaped at Lex's strange confession. "You can't? You used to act as if you could." Lex let the accusing words pass him as Chloe realized how the statement sounded. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Yes you did. And you would be right." Another strange silence fell in the room as Chloe continued eating. "Why did you save me the first time?"

He could see Chloe visibly swallow. "Because I had never seen that much hurt, pain…honest love in his eyes for you." Chloe stopped and looked up at Lex. If he wanted to put it out there now, he finally deserved to know. "Your father had some very unorthodox ways of showing love by hiding it, denying it. And maybe he was a bastard to you and your mom for a long time, but he changed. But you didn't want to see it. He tried to talk to you, but you already convinced yourself not to accept it. You played judge and jury to him and never saw what he wanted. He wanted another chance and you threw it back in his face." Chloe huffed at the look that Lex flashed her. "Yeah, he told me what he said to you and you blew him off. And at that moment when he said what you did in return, I wished I had let you die."

Chloe pushed away from the table and slipped into the shoes that she had been wearing days earlier, picked up her things, and closed the door behind her.

Chapter 11 - Economic Equilibrium in Love

The yellow paint on the side of the house had faded over the last couple of years since the Kents had vacated the property. Chloe noted that she would let Clark know to repaint the house, just to make it look like it took longer than a couple of minutes.

She sat in her car and heaved larger than normal breaths. She hadn't meant for what she said to Lex to have come out quite the way it did. She meant it as a warning or what she had felt in past tense, she wasn't sure. Her head felt as if a haze had settled in and taken over her thoughts.

Leaving the Talon, she knew that Lex would probably backpedal in his cautious way the next time he saw her. They seemed to have been playing the game of one step forward, two steps back for weeks now. Now she wasn't quite sure where they stood. Looking up from the seat of the car, the answer lied in the man in the blue shirt.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Clark asked as he opened the door to her car and helped her out gingerly.

"Not quite whole but swimming. I have to use the little girl's room. I think Lex emptied out one of Cooter's ponds into my bladder. How do people drink 64 ounce drinks?" she joked as she walked into the house and immediately disappeared under the stairs into the little half bath.

"Then I guess asking if you want something to drink is out of the question," Clark joked back as he pulled another bottle of water out for her anyway. From the last times she had used her powers, the one thing she craved were fluids, as if the dehydration slowly ate at her body hour by hour.

Handing her the bottle and getting a rueful look in return, he sat down across from her at the dining room table as she started to peel a banana. "I saw Lex yesterday."

"So, he told me. Told me you two decided it was in my best interest not to let me use my powers again. How gallant of the two of you."

"Chloe."

Chloe held up one finger as she chewed and inhaled the last part of the banana. "No, I understand. But I really don't need two men thinking that costumes of shining armor look good on them everytime something happens to me."

Clark sighed deeply as he got up and threw the banana peel away and then leaned back against the cabinet. "You know, I wouldn't have believed the change or supposed change that you talk about with him until I was there yesterday. I x-rayed that building from the back for a good couple of hours before going in. I wanted make sure he wasn't faking your care just for me to catch."

Chloe's head turned to the side as her chest rose, almost in silent protest. "Clark, I know you don't…"

"Let me finish," Clark stopped her. "I wasn't spying and I didn't trust him. What better way for Lex to experiment on a subject he had previously than to collect data on it after its last use? But no, I watched him – he read to you for hours, some book on art history. Took your temperature, rewarmed blankets in the dryer. I hadn't seen that kind of vigil since my folks. He did more than I did for you."

Chloe leaned back in the rigid chair and stared across the kitchen at Clark. He looked almost defeated as if he had lost something in Chloe from seeing that side of Lex. A small smile crept across her lips; she felt it in one corner and then the other. "It's working. I had to die to get it, but its working."

"What do you mean?"

Chloe looked up from her hands and saw Clark sit back down. "He's getting his humanity back. Now we have to be careful."

"Wait, you're still playing a game with him even after everything that has happened?"

Chloe stood up and stared at Clark. He flip flopped more than almost dead fish on a dirty beach. "You're the one that told me to not get too close, not let my guard down, and now you're acting as if I should throw my hands up in the air and forgive him for everything. No, he hasn't it earned that right yet. Yes, he took a huge step in the direction of proving himself but there's more. There are stages. He's shown he still has feelings when you strip all the rest away, but now he's got to learn to control them and not just bury them like he did before."

Chloe started out of the house, the wheels spinning on her next move. Now, she would test his ability to deal with more personal consequences. She could hear the squeak of the chair and knew that Clark was following her back out to her car. Clark grabbed her arm gently and turned her around. "You can't be leaving now. Rest here tonight and I'll make sure you drive back safely tomorrow."

Closing her eyes, she knew he was right. "Just let me get my bag out of the trunk." She had learned to carry an overnight bag almost everynight since the storm, having stayed a couple other nights there at the farm with Clark as the Talon was still being worked on until the late evenings. "Did he tell you anything else?"

Clark faltered on the front steps and then silently sat down next to her on the couch as she stared blankly at the fireplace. "No, but after that night in the storm you spent with Lex, I went and asked Lionel what he thought Lex would do."

Chloe turned in shock at Clark's presumption to bring Lionel back into the plan more than he wanted to be involved. "Why? Lionel may have a stake in what happens to an extent but he wanted to be mostly left out and just informed, nothing more."

"He didn't get involved Chloe. I just wanted to know what he thought Lex would do."

"And?"

Clark bit his lip. He wasn't sure if Chloe or Lex even knew about what Lionel possessed then or even now. The letters had been from a different time in Lionel's life and a much less adult time in Chloe's life. Lionel had been a different person then, they all had been.

"And? Clark, you open this up and don't finish?"

"He showed me some letters that you and Lex wrote back and forth that summer while you were in hiding." Clark watched as Chloe's face turned pale and her breathing heavy. "He ummm said … Lex was in love with you … then."

Chloe listened at the ending as if Clark hurried to the end of the sentence, as if it was painful to say. Thinking back over the mess of letters that she remembered from Lex, she couldn't pinpoint the exact time that Lionel would ever get that impression. "No surprise that Lionel would have gotten those. No stone left unturned, even for the man behind bars. But how is that pertinent to now?"

"He thinks Lex is still in love with you and that's why he hasn't left." Chloe's brows furrowed as she listened to the words. She could feel her bottom jaw shake nervously. "Think about it Chloe. He has literally nothing to live for; why would he stay if he knows as soon as he is released he has no where to go, nothing to do, no possessions. He's staying for you."

Chloe got up and started pacing around the room, almost talking to herself. "I had hoped after all those months of being in the mansion and watching Lana rip your heart out. None of you saw mine ripped out and tossed on the floor of the mansion everytime I had to go there to plan her wedding. And for what, to screw him over to get him to be normal again. As normal as Luthor could be."

Clark sat on the couch and continued to listen to Chloe babble through her insane thoughts and wild ideas, some of which weren't even coherent to him. He watched her stop and take a breath.

"How do you know he was in love with me? We never wrote letters like that – more like diatribes on what I was reading or what inane business decisions he had to make. Chess moves, etc."

"Because he said so."

Chloe's eyes widened. "When?"

"Lionel said it was never sent; it was an envelope his men had found underneath the panel of Lex's bedside table; it was still sealed until Lionel opened it." Chloe sat in the chair across from Clark and felt weak. She watched Clark disappear and then return with a disc and the laptop. Loading up the disc, he handed the laptop to Chloe.

The letter seemed to have more scratchouts and line throughs than words that encompassed the page. It was short and scribbled as if nervous or in a hurry or drunk or all of the above.

_A,_

_I know it's a long time coming and__ I hate to leave it like this. Maybe someday… outside of Smallville … Away from madness … Away from my name … we could. In an answer to the question last time – yes, of course I care. __I … You mean …. I'll never forg …__ I love you._

L

Clark could hear Chloe's breath slow and eventually stop. Taking her arm in his hand, he pulled the laptop out of her lap and laid it on the coffee table. "What did you ask him?"

"My last letter before I was kidnapped and you found me, I had told him how I felt." She glanced over at Clark. "You didn't read them all?"

Clark shook his head. "No, just enough to know that maybe you are doing the right thing." Chloe slumped over in the chair and slid into the floor and into Clark's arms. She couldn't tell if she was relieved or scared about the knowledge that Clark finally seemed to understand.

The two sat quiet for several minutes. Chloe now knew what she had suspected for the longest time. The problem was deciphering whether that was the reason that Lex had been so harsh to her once the Lana game had started. Did he suddenly feel like he had been pushed into Lana's arms or did he really go willingly?

Was he playing a game with Chloe all along and hoping that the day Chloe visited him in the mansion to warn him about Lana, she would really cave and ask him again? Was he still holding a candle for her and that was the reason he never captured her for 33.1 and made it easy for her to find her mother's whereabouts.

Lex had always been calculating, but was he really this calculating? Had he kept that little piece of knowledge to himself, hoping to use it again someday in another way? Chloe's random thoughts of her economics course throbbed in her head. Was it a Prisoners Dilemma where they would both stand to lose or had Lex been coordinating his moves along with hers all this time, just where they end up with the lesser punishment for both in the end?

"Can you take something to him if I ask you to?" She sat up and quickly looked at Clark, gone were the tears of just a few minutes before.

"Yeah, what's going on?"

Chloe stood up and pulled a pad and a pen out of her bag and started scribbling down boxes and letters that Clark didn't understand. Looking over her shoulder, she stopped and then turned to another sheet and drew another set of boxes of, what Clark thought, looked the same. "Chloe?"

"He's playing a game still. He was then too." Clark shook his head. "He said he loved me – never meant for me to know and then knew I would go after him with Lana. He actually expected me to cave on that day. But then when I didn't, the rules changed, we, Lionel and I, played our hand, Lex played his."

"Chloe, what are you rambling about?"

She stared at the dominated cross section she had drawn and circled one pair of numbers. "That is a dominated strategy. Two against each other don't merit any good outcomes. But I took his dominance away. Therefore, he's coordinating – and waiting for me to fall into place with him. The dinners, the soothing, the taking care of me, he's found that if he goes back to what we were like when we worked together against his father, that both of us come out without regret."

Clark sat down at the table and pinched his eyes. "Chloe when did you jump from computer nerd to strategist? So? You both come out winners. He's still going to be released someday without anything."

"No, he'll have something. Just not what he was expecting – because he may be trying to coordinate with my moves to make it easier for him in the end. But I know something now that he doesn't think I know. You've just given me more ammunition."

Clark was still confused. "But wait, I thought this was about how you two feel about each other. Maybe the simplicity of Lana's infatuation with him was easier to deal with." He stood over her and stared at the laptop that still had the simple note from Lex. How did Chloe turn something so simple into something complicated?

Chloe continued to write a note on the sheet of paper in front of him as she tried to listen to Clark's confusion. "It was. It is. And he thinks he has already won when I kind of told him I loved him before he dragged me out of the mansion. But now this comes along and changes the game again."

"You told him you loved him?"

"Yeah," Chloe said quietly. "I never stopped – that's why it took so long to pull the trigger when I shot at him. And I was kind of glad you were there to make it miss." Chloe swallowed and then shook her head from her thoughts. She had to get on track.

Chloe handed the note to Clark and watched as his eyes grew and strange looks flew across his face. "You can't be serious." Chloe's smile that he had been missing for months it seemed appeared as her hands went up to hips in delightful satisfaction.

***********

"Coming!" Lex opened the front door to a suit and tie clad Clark Kent. He hadn't heard from anyone except the officers and Mark since the incident with the glass. Today had been the first day back open and he had fully expected Chloe to show up and check on the progress of the reopening, but she was no where to be found. "Clark. Getting home from work? Why exactly do you stay in Smallville and work in Metropolis?"

Clark just stood in the doorway nervously before Lex swung his hand back and opened the door more. "I was told to bring this by to you." He handed the beige envelope to Lex and started back toward the door.

"You want to have dinner? I was just reheating some stuff from downstairs," Lex rolled off his tongue before he realized what he asked his oldest friend and worst enemy.

"No, I need to get going." Clark stopped as he opened the door. Hesitating, he knew he wasn't a player in whatever was going on with Chloe. "Lex, she told me what she said to you at the mansion the night of the fire." Lex turned and stared at Clark, sliding his one empty hand in his pocket, looking smooth as he did years ago. "Lex, please tell me that this isn't Lana all over again – tell me there's something more than an agenda."

Lex dropped the envelope he had yet to read on the coffee table and walked over to Clark. His hardened features that graced his face most the time around Clark now faded somewhat. If he knew that Clark wouldn't flinch or hit him, he would have grasped the man's arm to make him believe.

Clark watched as the corners of Lex's mouth seemed to twitch in order to make some kind of words. "I'm truly sorry about Lana." Lex took several more breaths, trying to make more words come out, but fell speechless. He saw Clark stare at him as if he was trying to read the lines on his face. "For what it's worth." He cracked a small smile, "I have a lot of apologizing to do."

Lex looked down at the floor and then walked over to pick the envelope up. Clark stared and wondered if he would be better off not following through with what Chloe wanted. "As much of a giant gesture that was on your part just now, you didn't answer my question Lex."

Lex ripped the envelope open and didn't return any eye contact to Clark. "Chloe's always been the one – the only one that could make me too weak to tell her how I really felt."

"Then right here, profess it– she's not here. Do you love her?"

Lex shook his head and squeezed the bridge of his nose. Clark hadn't seen the stress on Lex so obvious in a long time. He saw his question almost hang in phrases the air was so thick in tension. Lex let out a sigh as if he tried to blow the words back away from him. "It's more complicated…"

The door slammed and Lex looked up to see Clark still in his living room, fuming. "No it's not. You told me a long time ago to tell Lana how I felt. Be a man and take your own damn advice."

"It's not that simple now."

"It was never that simple with you, you had to manipulate and screw with everyone's mind trying to get what you wanted out of every angle," Clark moved closer to Lex as Lex dropped the opened envelope down on the table again.

"I'm not that person now," Lex tried to speak calmly. "At least I hope not."

"No, you hope that you changed enough to manipulate yourself out of this situation. People are going to quit feeling sorry for you Lex – I quit a long time ago. It just took Lana a little longer."

"I said I was…"

Clark couldn't handle the calm demeanor. He wanted to strangle Lex finally for professing everything he wished he had heard before. "Then why ever do it at all? Couldn't get close to Chloe because of your past with her and your father? So, dump on the next best thing, still trying to get to me. You were a coward then and you're still a coward."

"I never took Lana from you to get secrets out of her about you – believe me I could have done anything I wanted with you – Fuck, Clark, I know half of your damn abilities and never said anything. It was power, and losing my father to you. I was his son!" Lex was screaming now, backing away as Clark made his way across the living room.

Clark gritted his teeth, knowing there was some truth to that, even now. "So you took Lana as a prize to get back at me?"

"NO! She fucking came to me Clark – I never lied to you about the pretenses that she came to me. She came to me about the Talon after you shoved her down that road and she never turned back – not until something happened at the wedding. But then it was done – everything was laid."

"So why continue the damn marriage?" Clark grabbed the front of Lex's shirt and shoved him against the bookshelves, causing the books to fly in different directions.

Lex looked down and noticed his feet had left the ground most substantially. Staring back at Clark with a sheen of sweat rolling down his face, he knew only the truth remained before his head went through the shelf. "Because with Lana in the house, I could still see Chloe. She wouldn't have come otherwise."

Clark's jaw dropped as he let go of Lex. Lex's body dropped to the floor with a thud followed by several more books. Clark covered his mouth and thought about the game that Lionel and Chloe had explained to him. How it all worked in perfect harmony to get everyone the desired result. He halfway laughed realizing now what Chloe had been talking about a few days earlier was true.

Clark didn't look back in Lex's direction; he was pretty sure he had banged him up well, but not completely intentional. He hoped it wouldn't get back to Chloe. Gripping the doorknob, he opened the door and closed it behind him, hearing a sigh from the other side of the door.

"I still love her." Clark wasn't sure if Lex knew he could hear him or not, nor did he care.

*********

Lex sat in the floor next to the couch and felt the back of his head where a knot was starting to form. Pulling open the envelope, he pulled out a sheet of paper and read the letterhead before beating his fist against the table.

_J_

Wanted to let you know before you heard from anyone else. Enclosed is the letter I got in the mail a few days ago. I will be leaving for London for six months by the end of the week. I really wanted to check in with the place before I left, but packing has taken over my priorities at the moment. Please remember that any ideas need to be run through Mark and I will still be conferring with him on a weekly basis. I will be at your hearing in two months. Continue to work hard.

A

Lex flipped back to the letterhead and read just the first line, "Thank you for your interest in the Public Relations Specialist position for Queen Industries London Division."


	5. Chapter 12 to 14

Chapter 12 – Distance

Chloe sat in the leather high back chair and spun around to look at the skyline she now sat above. The office was definitely built by males trying to show off their prowess. She laughed at the staleness of the furniture and décor. There would have to be some softer touches brought to the place she thought as she ran her hands along the edge of the desk.

"Thinking more a white washed wood perhaps?"

Chloe turned in the chair and shook her head at Oliver leaning against the door frame of her new office. "No, maybe some more color."

"Ahh," he halfway laughed, "You have to understand the feelings of the poor schmuck that we had to kick out of this office for hacking. He wasn't quite ready to be kicked out so quickly. Then again, I was quite shocked when my friend comes and asks me to manipulate her a fake position in a real company."

Chloe stood up and came around and closed the door behind Oliver. "Yeah but I couldn't exactly disappear from the face of the earth for no reason. That would really cause a suspicion to rise on Lex's part."

"No, instead you go directly for the gut and tell him that you're working for his dire enemy. I'm sure that didn't cause him to break anything."

Chloe sat down on the stale leather sofa next to Oliver and bowed her head. She hadn't even talked to Clark about how the last meeting with Lex had gone. She was afraid of knowing what Clark may have found out beyond what she already knew. "Maybe, but it's necessary for me to get away from him for a few months. I can't exactly go about the rest of the plan commuting to and from Smallville."

Oliver stood up and held his hand out, "Then I guess that means you want to see your real office then." Glancing up, she took his hand and started toward another door in the office that opened to an elevator.

Chloe could feel the speed of the elevator as it zoomed down several floors to where she didn't know. She had approached Oliver with a plan for the future and wasn't sure what all the parts were, but they seemed to be falling into place rather well from what she could tell.

Watching the elevator door open, the part of the building they were in looked nothing like the upper floors. It was musty and dark as if a basement had been cut out and never used. Stepping out into the small dark hallway, she remembered some of the tunnels that Lex had hidden his extra curricular projects in. Now, she felt she was in on one of them. "Straight ahead through that door. I'll see you for lunch back at the office in four hours."

Before Chloe could question him, Oliver closed the doors and she heard the elevator take off again. Feeling the sudden clamminess of the surroundings creep into her skin, she moved to the door and opened it to a gloriously decorated office that, even if sparsely decorated, looked like him.

Coming from around the corner, he held as stack of folders and a strange grin that she last remembered he made while threatening her over four years ago. "Good morning Miss Sullivan. Are we ready to get started?"

Chloe sat down at one of the desks that were pushed together already stacked with books and file folders. Taking a deep breath, she looked across at the man still dressed much more casually then she ever knew and picked up a pen. "Let's get started Mr. Luthor."

***********

Lex sat at one of the booths in the restaurant on a break and flipped through an old magazine. The term yesterday's news drilled into his head thinking about the slight bending of the rules that Mark gave him by letting him read the old issues of Time. Still, knowing where all his holdings ended up and that even after being rescued from the Luthor hands that some still faltered had some kind of feeling of revenge.

He felt like he had memorized most of the articles in their entirety. It was all he had to do with Chloe gone. She hadn't even called in a month. At first, he wondered if the letter explaining that she would see him at his hearing in a month was just a statement, but he at least expected to hear her voice sometime in those two months.

He couldn't dismiss the reason he wanted to hear her. He was pretty sure that if Clark had heard him as he was leaving his apartment a month ago, Clark had already told her how he felt and ruined his chances of her coming back. The last thing Chloe would do was to let him have that kind of power over her. And the more he thought about it, talked about it, wrote about it, he realized that love was extremely powerful.

It contained a power both light and evil. Losing love could drive a person mad. He watched it repeatedly with his own family. He had fallen into the clutches of that power a year or more ago when a small brunette suddenly went from co-owner to wife to stranger. It had drained him.

A smile almost cracked across his face when picturing a screaming blonde. In one instant, she had filled a void, even if at the time he got it filed under what most people would have considered nefarious means.

He looked down at the magazine whose pages he had been turning every few minutes to at least show his doing something. Very few people had seen the completely idle and introspective Lex Luthor and he wasn't about to let that change.

"Hey, wipe down before the lunch crowd enters the gym?" he heard from off to the side just as a rag hit him in the lap. Looking up, he silently nodded in Mark's direction before throwing the magazine back in the bin with the others.

Lex grabbed the spray bottle and began absently spraying the front of the treadmill and step machines before wiping down the bars and the displays. The new owners of the crap factory, his factory, had started adding employee perks for fitness and suddenly hordes of overweight non-farmers showed up every lunch hour and tried to pretend they actually cared about their fitness. Lex laughed silently at the thought and wondered exactly what kind of monthly charge was being paid for that experience.

To be honest, he was curious to see the books for the Talon or his old business. Without his late night distraction of a bubbly blond on the other end of the phone, he was hard pressed for entertainment. He could only write in his journal or come up with homespun business ideas for so many hours a day.

"Lex Luthor," he heard from behind him as he turned around and stared at the tall lanky brunette in bicycle shorts running at what Lex could only guess was a good 6 mph.

"Can I help you?" Lex was still wary. The last strange woman that had spoken to him he had insulted with good reason. He had been there now long enough that media coverage was non-existent. "I don't do interviews."

The woman punched a couple of buttons and jogged into a walk as the treadmill slowed down. Still remembering to be a gentleman, Lex handed her a towel from the shelf on the wall. "Thanks." He watched as she dabbed her neck off before removing her earphones. "No interview. Just wanted to tell you to pass onto Mark that this is a wonderful place. It's a nice place to get away from the miles of miles of corn. Reminds me of the Grrenhouse they opened in Metropolis across the street from the old Luthorcorp building."

Lex swallowed visibly at the sound of the 'old' Luthorcorp building. "It's like this one?"

"Yeah, but I only got to go a couple of times before I moved out here." The woman put out her hand and smiled, "Gretchen Peters, the operations manager at Alga Materials."

"You work at the plant?"

"Yeah, I'm actually in your manager's old office. I have to say we have pumped so much money into cleaning up the place to EPA standards, it should be pumping out dollar bills instead of fertilizer. How did you get around ever keeping anything up to code?"

Lex huffed and looked at the woman perturbed without saying anything. Instead, he watched her walk over to the bench and wait for him. It had been a long time since he had seen a woman that cut. Even with the model types he had dated, they were all breakable, but this woman's muscles actually popped accordingly when she changed positions. "I'm actually supposed to be wiping the machines down."

"Come on, I need three sets of ten and then you go back to doing whatever they tell you to waste your required 12 hours of labor a day." She laid back on the bench and glanced at the weights as she took ahold of the bar.

Hanging the spray bottle on another apparatus, Lex stood over her and watched as the woman proved she was definitely a force to be reckoned with. Pulling the bar up from her last set, he handed her her towel and started away again. He couldn't decide whether she was a plant to watch him or if he had really been away from the action so long that the attention was really getting to him.

"Thanks. Hey, I have another question."

Lex closed his eyes and took a another deep breath. He could feel a headache like the ones he used to get from insatiable board members coming on. Turning, he plastered a nice smile on his face and hooked the bottle into his pants pocket. "Yes?"

"I don't know exactly what your schedule is but I have some questions about the land acquisitions around the plant if you have some time. We've tried to research the information, but I figured its cheaper to go to the horse's mouth."

Thinking carefully about his possible options, he watched as the woman sat down at one of the next machines. He could have guests and he wasn't allowed to see the numbers relating to the Talon. No one had made stipulations otherwise. The urge to get into business burned. "Sure. Put together what you have questions about and come over around 8 tomorrow. I'll make dinner."

"This isn't a date Mr. Luthor."

He looked at her drop her hands to her waist as if she already could see a possible set up. "No, but we all have to eat and I venture you probably leave work around 7:30. So dinner." Without waiting for her to refuse his offer again, he disappeared back into the restaurant area.

**********

Chloe was about to scream. Now she understood how Lex could have easily gone insane or just became who he had after a life of what she now considered torture. She had only been through a month of this, but she understood now why she had wanted to stay far away from business school. Now, her business school lessons came from the University of Lionel Luthor complete with real money and real losses for screwing things up. So much for just failing a test.

"Does it get any easier?" she asked as she stared at yet another loss report complete with strange red scrawls of what she could have done differently.

"Yes Miss Sullivan, but its much more complicated when the market itself is not helping your situation. Remember, Lex had the luxury for a long time of a market that worked in his favor. It's hard to build something back from the ashes it lays in. Now, are you prepared for the business meeting in Toronto with Oliver?"

Lionel Luthor had definitely changed. If Lex wouldn't be absolutely stunned into silence to see the man very well alive and kicking, the man in dressed in simple dress pants and a button down linen shirt would have caused immediate heart failure.

Chloe even found it hard to believe sometimes that Lionel had turned a corner like he had. Denise, the older woman he had been seeing, brought them lunch twice a week, and was genuinely nice. She never mentioned anything about Lex or Lionel's past. Apparently, those things had never come up when they first started seeing each other and the off limit topics had never been ventured.

Chloe sadly wondered what would have happened possibly if Lex had known someone like Denise in his later years after his mother had passed away. Would having a step mother of sorts ever helped him? It was hard for Chloe now to even picture the awful, conniving man she had known in Lionel after working with him for hours on end, seven days a week, doing what he obviously loved and missed terribly.

"The meeting, yes. But the board meeting next week has me concerned. What if they ask something you haven't prepped me for. There are still items on the agenda I can't understand beyond from basics you have explained to me."

"No worries. Board members are properly put in their places if you just look at them right. Besides, Oliver will be there and the board members are going to be astonished enough that we are gathering them together to begin with. Most are probably going to just grumble that you pulled them off their latest yacht they bought with their last payment before the market crashed."

Chloe just shook her head and smiled. She had been collecting those kind of paychecks in her 'fake' position at Queen Industries, signing off on PR developments she knew nothing about. An expensive ruse she thought to keep up the look of her being one, in London and not in San Diego, and two in charge of something instead of being run through an MBA course in six months. Now she understood how Lex felt being put in charge of the crap factory at 22. Her pile of crap just happened to be much, much bigger.

She watched as Lionel gathered up the materials from the day and started toward the door. "What if I fail?"

"Then you fail. There's nothing wrong with failure."

"Lionel Luthor would have never said that."

"No, but Lionel's dead remember?" He smiled as he disappeared out the small door that went to the parking garage. Chloe gathered up her things and headed upstairs to prepare for the meeting in Canada. Her first business trip; she prayed she wouldn't vomit in the other company's board room.

**********

Lex looked at his clock and wondered if something had happened during the contract negotiations at the plant. Gretchen was an hour late. Taking a few cleansing breaths, he tried to remember that he was not in charge of anything and simply walking her through some delicate changes in the land that Luthorcorp had acquired for expansion before they had gone under.

On the one hand, he felt he was lying to Chloe about his non-involvement with business since he obviously had been working with Gretchen on a twice a week basis. He wondered why she hadn't called, especially since she was probably looking at the visitor logs and Gretchen's name appeared there for several hours a week.

On the other hand, Chloe hadn't tried to even call, write, nothing. She literally had disappeared into the corporate world without being found. He had checked every report about Queen Industries in the magazines and never saw a mention of her name. He wondered what exactly she was doing for the man's company if she was PR and never heard from her print or otherwise.

"Deep in thought?" Lex glanced up at the open door and saw Gretchen in jeans and a sweater. Seeing his odd look, she smiled. "I had some personal business to take care of today, so I'm a little late."

"Everything ok?" Lex asked s he walked over and took her bag from her shoulder and closed the door.

"Yeah, just doctor's appointments and those normal person things that I try to do all on one day. How was your day?" She asked as she sat down at the table that was already set as it always was. She watched as he finished up the last steps in the kitchen. She never offered to help; she wasn't that kind of woman. Besides, the small smirk that she gave him always seeing him the kitchen was always returned with a smile.

The two had played this odd game for the last month, dinner, work, and then the odd silence before her leaving. She knew better than to push a man like Lex Luthor to do anything he didn't want to, but was oddly amused that the man who had a very active libido once upon a time could cool his heels as well as he had. The woman, the little girl, he had apparently married last had apparently cut off his manhood and carried it with her when she left.

"The bread is warm. It just came out."

"How domestic of you making bread," she giggled as she took a piece from the plate.

Lex glanced up as she tried some and waited for the nod in approval. "Actually, I have found that cooking is something I happen to be damn good at it and it makes me relax. So, shoot me and call me domestic," he joked and smiled as he sat down with the meal.

The meal went on with some introductions about what problems were arising from the last round on contract negotiations of the factory workers. Through all the mundane questions and answers, Lex continued watching as Gretchen's small smiles and light laughs seem to start to be infectious. He hated admitting but he was enjoying listening to someone laugh and joke with him. It had been sadly lacking in the apartment for six weeks.

Lex cleared off the table and watched as Gretchen set up their normal workspace. Turning to put items back in the cabinet, he took a couple of quick breaths and tried to focus his energy. It had become harder to do the more she came by. He pictured disasters, his father naked, Chloe crying, but more and more things didn't work out his way.

"You feeling alright? You look a little pale?" Gretchen leaned against the counter with her arms crossed and stared at him.

Turning to face her, he could smell her perfume and feel her breath, she had moved so close. "Yeah, no problem. Let's get down to it." He walked over and sat down on the couch, picking up the first item she had laid out to look over. "These figures are actually starting to look like productive numbers. I guess you posted black numbers this last month?"

Gretchen moved to the couch and crossed in front of him, purposely teasing him with her ass in his face. Lex closed his eyes briefly and then squarely glanced at her face as she smiled. "Yes, the head manager is quite pleased."

"Who is that by the way?"

"Not anyone you would know. Someone named Lance Aronot. He conference calls from somewhere overseas. He's never even been to the plant. I think if we weren't in the black he'd just close up shop and leave us all high and dry."

Lex laughed at the strange similarities. "Yeah, I know the kind. And even if you are in the black, that doesn't mean he couldn't do that anyway if the overseas markets suddenly take a jump over American markets. The value of the dollar here isn't exactly helping our case out."

Gretchen silently agreed and leaned over Lex's shoulder eyeing the piece he was reading. Sliding her hand across to his thigh, she could feel Lex tense and look directly at his knee. "You know, I haven't been at work all day frankly I could use the rest of the day off." Lex glanced over and saw her eyes peruse his face and then fell lower as her hand squeezed the inside of his thigh.

"Then take it. We can do this another time," Lex tried write off growing sensation that her hand was causing. He leaned over the table, ignoring his possible squeezing her hand in the process, and started to stack up her folders.

"I can think of a way to relaxing," she whispered into his ear and he let out a groan against his greatest will. She ran her other hand up his arm and nipped his ear. Celibacy for months was hell if it meant being in this kind of pain after simply having someone whisper in your ear.

"A nice book?" Lex tried to joke as he reached to remove her hand from its location dangerously close to his crotch. Staring at her squarely, he saw the normal foreplay moves for the women he used to play with. The open mouth temptation, the hot breath, the now open shirt showing off a black lace bra. He couldn't even think when she had undone that.

"How long has it been?" she whispered as she continued running her hands along the back of his neck. He could feel where his hair would stand up if he had any.

"A long time," he honestly choked out trying to explain to himself that it would stay that way.

"Look, all I do is sign that little book that I'm up here. No one asks what we do," she whispered again as she kissed his neck under his collar. She could feel him stiffen again at her touch but felt one of his hands slide up her side. "Long time here too. Not much to play with in this crap town. God, that feels good," she responded to his hand in her hair as she continued teasing his neck.

"Town isn't as bad as you think," he muttered and then groaned as he removed his hand, realizing what he had done.

"Not anymore," he heard as her hand turned his head with her hand and pressed her lips to his.

Chapter 13 – Unexpected Twists

He could feel her tongue running along the line between his lips and suddenly his eyes flew open. He knew her longer than most of his wives but something didn't feel right.

"No," he plainly stated as he pushed her back to the other side of the couch. "This isn't right." Lex stood up and backed away from the couch as Gretchen continued to smile in his direction.

He covered his mouth and readjusted himself as he walked back behind the kitchen counter. Closing his eyes, he tried to will his overactive cock back into a normal state. He saw Gretchen come toward him in the kitchen and tried to put distance between them. He now knew how a woman felt when a man didn't take no for an answer.

"You're saving yourself for someone." Surprised by her statement he smiled unconvincingly.

Lex looked up as Gretchen leaned against the counter next to him and ran her fingers over his hand. "It's more complicated than I want to get into with you."

Gretchen watched his face and felt his hand stiffen under her fingers. "She must be something special if you're waiting to get out of here to be with her. I mean what makes you think the woman you're waiting on is waiting on you. Maybe after the money and the fame is gone, I'll be the best thing you've got."

Lex swallowed and moved his hand away, now turning around since his pants had gone back to a normal state. "Look, I said I don't want to get into this with you, but yes. I have someone that's important to me that I frankly screwed all to hell and back once and doing something with you would basically make it irrepairable."

"Does she know you're waiting?"

"I don't know," he whispered to the air picturing her in front of him and letting a small smile slip across his face. "I hope, but I think I might have waited too long to apologize to her. Can we just maybe table the work for a week or so?"

Pulling his face to look at her, she felt him stiffen again at her touch, "She should be lucky. You're not anything like the Lex Luthor I ever heard about, especially the last couple of years. Maybe all the rumored therapy is working. But if I promise to be a good little girl, we can meet next week?"

Pulling her hand down from his face, he grimaced slightly. "Come by some time next week, but during work hours. I'm thinking this one on one isn't such a good idea anymore."

"Ah, worried that turning me down a second time would be even harder than the first." She watched him glance up and roll his eyes in her direction.

Lex walked over to the table and silently stacked up her files and slid them back into her satchel as well as he could. Meeting her halfway across the living room, he handed her bag to her and walked her to the door. Holding the door open, he smiled slightly as she descended the stairs and looked back up to him and smiled.

Closing the door, Lex breathed a sigh of relief and finished cleaning the kitchen. He sat down on the couch and stared at the laptop wondering if he should write tonight. He was afraid of writing anything at all. He seldom turned a woman down. Turning off the living room light, he crossed the living room and crawled up to the top of the bed and curled up with the pillows.

***********

"Chloe Sullivan," she stated as she picked up the phone in her office. The sun was starting to set and she had a business dinner to attend with Oliver to keep up appearances.

"Miss Sullivan, this is Gretchen." Chloe cleared her throat and could feel herself holding her breath. She had waited for a month to get this phone call, scared of what the woman she had only seen in a picture would say. She remembered the argument that she and Lionel had about his perverted idea to begin with.

"Yes?"

"He's completely in love with you. I don't know who you are or what he sees in you, but I was lip locked with the man known for his women for exactly 1.2 seconds before ending up on the other side of the couch while he practically ran into the kitchen to put distance between him and me. So what now?"

Chloe couldn't stop breathing heavy on the other end of the line. Lionel had been right about his son. For all the awful, hateful things he had done in the past to his son, his latest test proved to be the only one that was important. "Thank you," she whispered. "Just keep feeding him information on the Smallville plant to keep him thinking."

"Done, he said he wanted some time in between, so I'll see him some time next week. My payment?"

"It'll be arranged as soon as I talk to my boss."

"Good. He's a hard man to resist; you're a lucky woman if you ever want to go down that road." Chloe heard before she heard the phone hang up. Putting her own phone down, she looked out on the city skyline that looked over the water slightly and couldn't wipe the grin off her face. He wasn't just playing her; he really had a heart and feelings for her. Now she only had another month before she could see him.

**********

Lex sat down on soft sofa and listened to the classical music that bellowed quietly from the speakers in ceiling. The office was tastefully decorated similar to what he would like his next office to look like if he ever got his own place again.

He wondered for a moment how that could possibly happen. With another year looking at him in the face, his best hope was that the judge would have mercy on him or his temporary insanity and shorten his sentence. Still, that wouldn't answer the question of where he could go after getting out. It was a foreign feeling. It was a strange sensation of feeling lost.

"Good morning Lex. How was your week?" Dr. Schell spoke quietly as he closed the door to the apartment. Lex left the door open on his appointment days, knowing no one else would be visiting.

"It's been better," Lex stated sadly noting another week without Chloe calling, visitors of any kind except for Gretchen. And that was still on shaky ground. Lex looked up at the doctor who simply had his paper out and waited patiently in the chair next to the couch where Lex sat.

Sighing, Lex had been through this enough the doctor would simply wait on him. All in all, the therapy he had boldly tried to get out of in the earlier months was now decently soothing. For one, he realized that Chloe probably had something to do with the therapist scheduled and second, he was actually good at his job.

"The woman I told you about made advances last week and I refused," Lex stated as blandly as possible.

"Do you know why?" the doctor questioned.

Lex knew the real reason; he wasn't sure if the doctor who probably reported back to Chloe should know little details that would throttle her world. If he was looking to hurt her, get under her skin, letting the doctor tell her how he felt would do it. "Somewhat. She seemed too much like my old dates, and I use that term loosely. And I just didn't feel the need to succumb to that again."

The doctor silently shook his head and scrolled a little on his pad. Looking back at Lex, the doctor saw something he hadn't noticed in a long while, possibly never, as he watched Lex. Sadness. The man had finally lost the façade that held his face in a virtually impenetrable place. "Your hearing is coming up. You have any thoughts on that," he asked trying to change the subject.

Lex looked over at the doctor and his expression visibly changed. The doctor noticed as well that his concern and sadness moments earlier was lost now a rigid figure wanting out of his situation. "I think they should reduce my time. I have done nothing but what was asked of me and I think I have progress in these sessions as well."

The doctor broke a small grin, which Lex was not quite sure meant he agreed or not. "You know I have to speak to the extent of mental stability. Some say when you came into this situation that you were manipulating everything and everyone around you. And what you couldn't manipulate, you would simply eliminate. What do you say to that?"

Lex sat up from his couch and clasped his hands together. He had changed some of his demeanor when he got nervous the doctor noticed. He used to pace with his hands in his pockets when the two first started almost six months ago. Then it went to sitting at the table, leaning back in the chair and rubbing his chin, to now his hands. Submission, not exactly, but the doctor could see the more calm and trusting action where Lex didn't merely walk away from the questions anymore.

"It's true, maybe still true in some circumstances," Lex offered quietly. "But those that could never be manipulated…those were the ones that finally put me in my place."

"Meaning?"

"My father. I can't exactly manipulate what he did to me to drive the company in the ground when he's dead. And Chloe, I don't think she ever realized the power she had even though she thought for the longest time she was everyone's doormat. And she's just gotten stronger."  
Lex stopped and thought about the statement he had made about Chloe. She had never shown her strength as much as he had seen in the last six months. She had finally learned to move past Clark and the others to develop her own self. She was finally the force to be reckoned with that he had hoped to find in other women.

Even those from the early years, Victoria and Helen, had been too easy, too scared when it finally came to matching wits. On the other hand, he wondered if he had continued just playing Chloe if he would have made her falter as well.

"What are you thinking?" The doctor asked without expression.

Lex glanced over at the doctor and wondered what he would say to Chloe. "It's funny," Lex started as he leaned back with his hands behind his head. The doctor tilted his head, noticing the strange calm and almost sinister look in pose. "I could sit here and talk about how I've rehabbed and how thankful I am for understanding where I went wrong in my life, but I won't. I don't feel like there was an exact point that things changed. I'm not pointing blame because I have done that so much internally that I've wasted years on it."

The doctor noticed the strange but extensive diatribe that Lex was in the middle of and started making more notes as to the sudden direction of wanting to talk about the past, sort of. "Continue."

"Instead, I feel like the manipulation that you say I have described in the past almost caused me to lose myself again. I started off my incarceration by doing the same thing as always to Chloe and to those at the restaurant. And the same result occurred. I ended up alone and pissed while others were either hurt or alienated."

"And your feelings?"

"I still tried to pretend I didn't have any. It was easy because I've been doing it since I was told by my father that emotion was for the weak."

The doctor nodded and looked at Lex confused. "I thought you had gotten beyond blaming your father?"

"Partially, but there will always be some things that can't be fixed. Instead, it seems that this was set up for the reason of helping me find some kind of resolute."

"And have you found it?"

"Since I actually decided to manipulate Chloe into hoping to fall for me again, I think I made a minor miscalculation."

The doctor said nothing but Lex could see him again lean back in his chair and simply wait for the man to continue. Lex stopped short opening his mouth and then closing it again, thinking that he had given away the plan. He hoped as his eyes closed that his slip wouldn't get back to her.

"Do you report this to anyone?"

The doctor nodded at the small question that was obviously loaded for Lex's benefit. "I use our discussions to simply assess your well being for the court." The doctor smiled and moved to another position, more authoritative. "The details however don't leave this office."

Lex looked at the man sit up and lay the pad on his lap. Looking over at the pad, he noticed small scrawls that obviously didn't include any of his actual conversations. Still, the room could be bugged. Lex shook his head visibly as he stared at the pad and then around the room.

The doctor watched his sudden movements. "Problem?"

Lex shook it off; it was his old sense of paranoia that his father had instilled in him. He hated the feeling and hadn't felt it until that moment for almost four months. It had been a nice break form the paranoia. What seemed like a normal feeling once was now an annoyance that he wanted to go away. "Nothing." He stopped and gathered where his thoughts were earlier. "My miscalculation was that I fell in love with her, but I doubt just telling her is going to smooth things over. There's a history to get past."

"And how do you expect to get past it?"

Lex glanced up at the doctor who dipped his chin to one side, concentrating on the answer. "Prove I've changed and that I'm not a manipulating bastard anymore. That I have other talents besides pissing people off." The doctor said nothing. "And I know what I need to do."

*********

The sun was almost set as Lex loked at the window waiting for the dessert he had made for himself to finish. He knew that Mark was still downstairs working on the books for the evening and thought the gesture might make him smooth things over with him further. Lex rubbed his hand along his chin and rolled his eyes. The number of times that Clark had repeated that he could change and he just blew him off. Maybe he was right.

Lex stirred from his thoughts when he heard a knock at the door. He had mentioned to Mark he was welcome to come visit when he was done if he chose. It was a strange feeling reaching out to someone without sending them cars or writing them checks. It was much more challenging just being sincere and interested in making friends without buying his way into their interests.

Opening the door, he glanced straight forward expecting meeting Mark eye to eye before seeing the blond hair and met her eyes. He swore he felt his heart stop.

"Chloe," he rasped almost unable to get the name out of his mouth before clearing his throat and trying again. "Chloe, come in. I wasn't expecting you tonight."

Chloe smiled up at him and saw the almost shocked blue eyes stare back at her and suddenly felt a sense of warmth hit her that she had missed in two months. After talking herself into and out of seeing him, her heart had given into her head to see him before the hearing. "Hi, expecting someone else?"

Lex turned around and left the door standing open as the buzzer on the oven went off. Opening the oven, he pulled the cobbler out of the oven an laid it on the counter. "Sort of, I actually asked Mark if he wanted to come by for dessert after work. That whole making friends thing that I seem to be forcing badly."

"Mark just left; we were doing the books while I was in town. So, I guess he wasn't interested. You have to remember that Mark is still a lot more wary of you than me. It's going to take a lot to get him or any one else from your facility to suddenly do a 180 and be your buddy." Chloe stated standing stiffly in the middle of the living room.

"True, but then that would beg the question, why do you keep coming around?"

Chloe corssed her arms in defense before she saw Lex turn around and genuinely smile at her. Not able to hold it in, the corners of her mouth lifted into a small smile as she shook her head. "For a minute there it sounded like we were back to square one."

Lex didn't answer but knew how he had worded the question could have been misconstrued. Letting the statement pass, he walked around the edge of the counter and pulled gently on Chloe's bag and lowered it into the chair she stood next to. "I guess you're here for the hearing day after tomorrow."

Lex pointed at the couch as Chloe nodded silently and sat down. Lex sat on the other end of the couch and leaned back. He had acquired a few throw pillows with the small bit of tips he had acquired and begged Gretchen to buy them. "Yeah," Chloe commented quickly and then looked around the apartment. "Redecroating a little?"

"A little. The pillows were more a necessity. The rug was something Bates found and he said reminded him of me. I'm not sure what squares inside squares symbolize but it's an interesting pattern."

"Nice," Chloe commented before a knock at the door and Lex jumped up off the couch. Opening the door, Chloe's heart dropped as a thin brunette woman wrapped one arm around Lex's neck and practically shoved herself into the door before casting a glance on Chloe.

"Entertaining tonight I see," she commented almost snidely.

Lex dropped the files in one arm and stared startled in Chloe's direction. There were two things wrong with this situation. First, he wondered if Chloe would be upset about the strange woman, that is if Gretchen hadn't been a test all along. And second, how much trouble he would be in right before his hearing for doing work outside of the restaurant.

Chloe stood up and took two steps forward, glanced down at the folders that were marked with a new logo but she knew were from the plant in Smallville. Then, looking in Gretchen's direction, she halfway smiled and shook hands with the woman that was the epitome of Lex Luthor's women. "Nice to meet you," she said as she shook the woman's hand and waited.

Lex stepped in between and could see the green eyed monster in at least one set of eyes, if not two. Gretchen actually had no right to feel anything; two weeks had gone by and they had been the furthest from intimacy as two people could get. The simple fact she tried, got turned down, and it never came up again was enough for him to speculate that Gretchen already knew Chloe. "Gretchen, this is Chloe Sullivan, the owner and a good friend."

Gretchen dropped her hand and looked at Lex. The name now sank in and she covered her personal embarrassment. The blonde was the one signing her checks per se. Chloe was the one. Glancing up at Lex again, she kept her composure and smiled. "Good to meet you but obviously you are busy, so I'll leave these here and pick them up a little later."

Gretchen wisped herself out the door faster than Chloe had seen a woman retreat from a situation before. Smiling to herself, she appreciated the 'work' the woman had been doing, both for Lex's brain and hopefully for his heart. Now, time would tell. "Interesting woman. I saw her name a lot on the log. Girlfriend?"

Lex spun on his heel and met Chloe's hands on her hips and a crushed look on her face. "No, I'm just helping her with a couple of things at the old plant." He saw Chloe's weight simply shift as her eyes looked deeper with tears hanging in the lids. He watched her swallow and suddenly thought he had completely evaluated the Gretchen plant as completely wrong.

"Lex," Chloe said through her biting her lip. Her breathing was panting. "She's gorgeous. Look, I know that you meet people here and I totally understand whatever is going on here."

Chloe was going for her purse; he could see the body language. Stepping in between her and the chair, he placed both hands on her shoulders and held her in place. "I am not lying to you. Gretchen is a business acquaintance, nothing more. Regardless of how she may have looked to you." He could feel her continue to stiffen up in his hands and waited for her to ask him to let her go, let her leave.

"Then the hug?"

"She's friendly. I don't know. Chloe," he stopped and felt like he was eating the air between them it was so thick. Gripping her harder, he took a breath and looked back at her eyes that hadn't broken from his face. The tears broke him. "Chloe, I'm sorry. For her, for endangering you, for your family…for the hell I put you through."

And there it was…her objective of the whole plan. Chloe's mouth stood stock still open. She had pictured the moment of heated battle where they yelled at each other until he apologized or him writing something in a journal on the computer she would read that said he was sorry. She had never imagined that the simple misunderstanding of Gretchen would lead them there. Looking up at his face, she could see he was as somber and straightforward as when he was affected by the truth serum. "I need to go," came out of her mouth before she processed why she said it as she tried to pull from his hands.

Lex gripped her slightly harder but not enough to hurt. "No, not this time." Feeling her struggle, he didn't want her to leave. His heart pounded harder as his breath hung onto the air.

Chloe stared up at him as he gripped her harder. Pulling from him more only resulted on slightly harder fingers pressed into her skin. Gritting her teeth, she knew he had finally gotten to where she wanted him. Phase one took longer than she had hoped, now for him to finish it. "Later."

Lex felt her pull in the opposite direction and let her loose. Stepping back, he picked up her purse and gripped it. "No."

"Lex, quite acting like a little kid." Now, he was getting annoying; she missed some of his old banter. "I have to go. You apologized. Thank you and I forgive you. Now give me my purse." Chloe put her hands back on her hips.

"One thing then," Lex calmly stated as he walked toward Chloe while he held her purse in one hand.

Chloe rolled her eyes as she rubbed one. Tears were hard to fake. Gretchen, although a plant, had obviously become much closer to Lex than she had thought. She had done her job a little too well and it still hurt the woman was that close to him, especially when she was being paid by her. "Lex, come on. There's nothing wrong with having a relationship."

"There is when it's one sided, right Chloe?" Lex whispered low as he ran his free hand along her cheek and leaned into her, pushing her purse into her arms. "I think we're both tired of that."

He held her there where only the purse was between them. Chloe's face melted as her eyes closed. His words were on spot, his voice made her insides jump, but she still played her part, not saying anything.

Running the back of his hand along her jaw, he could feel her jaw tighten. "I am sorry. And I may be apologizing some more after this." Chloe looked up in confusion as Lex's hand snaked around her head and gathered in her hair, pressing his lips to her open mouth.

Stunned, Chloe stood still and dropped her hands at her sides, letting hr purse fall to the floor before feeling Lex's tongue enter her mouth. Moaning uncontrollably, she felt his other hand pull her into him and lean her back. Her legs were going to give.

Lex pulled out of the kiss first, finally feeling the long fluid motion go too far for his body when her tongue grazed his and the roof of his mouth. He would be in enough trouble just starting it.

Stepping back, he watched Chloe stand up a little straighter and cover her chest with her hand, panting, before reaching down for her purse. Chloe nearly lost her balance as she turned to walk to the door just to see Lex grab the knob first. Meeting his eyes, she was going to have to bite the inside of her lip until it bled to get out of the apartment before she kissed him back.

Opening the door, she looked back over her shoulder at Lex's somber look. He said nothing but slipped the strap of her bag all the way up her shoulder. She couldn't even form words yet without them coming out as 'I forgive you or I still love you.' Smiling she started out the door.

Lex watched as her foot hit the first step down the stairs. He could feel pressure building everywhere in his body as he felt what could only be nerves for the first time in forever. Swallowing, he saw her halfway down the stairs. "Stay tonight," left his lips before he could bite them back.

Chapter 14 – Things Change

Chloe heard the words leave his lips and took a deep breath before continuing down the stairs. She wasn't going to let him win that easily. She wanted to see him truly stunned into disbelief and relieved all at once. She wanted him to have the same look on his face that she had the time Clark took her to the prom, before leaving her there. No, she wasn't going there, she thought.

She continued to sit in the car and watched as the main light in the apartment went off and the smaller lamp she suspected was next to the bed came on. She wanted to know how exactly he felt about being rejected by the one person that now he obviously wanted. Smiling to herself, she was ecstatic. She was finally wanted by someone – he was a felon, had no money, and a not so stellar reputation now, but it was someone.

Trying not to laugh, she brought herself back down from the strange high that she had received from his kiss. It seemed it wouldn't dissipate. The enemy of my enemy is my friend she repeated silently in her head. Ok, that didn't work very well though; Clark wasn't really her enemy, just not her bosom buddy anymore. His enemy caused that directly. But even speaking to Clark on the phone earlier, he had admitted there had been some definite change in Lex's demeanor the last time he had seen him.

Chloe sat and held her keys in her hand, still not starting the car. She was supposed to be there the next day. Clark would more than likely be out creating some new havoc trying to save people without being seen. His work with the Oliver incognito and Lana's escape to far away had precipitated his advance in using his powers for good. Good for him, but she wasn't real eager to sit in that house alone.

Upstairs, Lex sat on the bed and tried to ward off the headache that came on as soon as he heard the car door, although he hadn't heard the car start up yet. Running over the short events of the evening, he wanted to tell himself he had made a mistake that was not solvable. He kissed her, which would lead to obvious repercussions later when they both felt up to talking about it.

On one hand, she had continued the kiss, showing that she obviously had at least the same feeling of needing something more from someone. He predicted that since Jimmy had been completely taken out of the picture months ago, she hadn't seen anyone else. Unless, she had someone she didn't speak about in London and that was the reason for her not even making eye contact when he asked her to stay.

And that was the mistake. He had never had to ask a woman. Actually, he thought about it, he didn't ask this time either. The question came out more like a statement, an order. His thicker voice probably reminded her of his old refined self and scared her. At least he would get to see her in the courtroom. It really was poetic justice for him.

"Boy, you have lost your sense of alarm," jolted Lex out of his thoughts as he saw her standing in front of him. Gaping, she was there with two bags in hand. "You used to pull a gun on a mouse running across the lawn of the mansion." She stopped and tried to read him. "Are you ok?" she said quietly confused.

He couldn't move. Why was his body hating him and not moving toward her now that she was actually there. "I didn't think you were coming back."

"It's late and the boy scout is probably already in bed where he can get up at 4 AM or something. I would hate to disturb that and I'm sure you've seen the condition of the motel down the street and…" but she was cut off by his lips.

They were sweet; he had tested his dessert and was going along with his evening as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. Her eyes rolled back as Lex's hands took both sides of her face and moved from there. She shivered at his hand moving down and wrapping her around the waist. She couldn't breathe and it was a wonderful feeling.

Pulling away slightly, she gasped and then looked up into his eyes. The cold gray color that always seemed to set there in the last few years looked to brighten to crystal blue as if the warmth that she felt flowing through her body had melted the ice. "So, you can see him tomorrow. I'm sure he'll be looking for you," he whispered. "But tonight, relax."

"Yeah, he'll be looking for me early, but I have to leave before Bates gets here in the morning. I don't think my car parked here all night, even the alley, is going to sit well with a judge." She composed herself more and sat her things next to the couch of the way before pulling out her laptop. "I have an idea."

Sitting down on the couch next to her, Lex was not quite relieved that she hadn't questioned either kiss. Now that he had actually made a move after all the years wasted from the immaculately asinine plan of staying away from her, he wanted to know why. Was she just feeding his ego and taking it or feeling the same way? Her tongue moving to lick the inside of lips to tease him told him that there was more, at least he hoped. Maybe it was possible to come back from the brink of unhappiness and hatred.

"Pick one." Lex looked up at the handful of movies in her hand. Tilting his head, he knew that she was breaking her own rules or at least the court's rules. "Come on, don't give me that look. This was my plan tonight to watch a movie alone and fall asleep. So my plans have changed just slightly."

"This is against…"

"Who's going to tell? Me? Come on – pick one." Lex looked over the different films, some legal and others pirated. Only Chloe would see the gray matter of when the law is useful and not.

Grabbing one from her hand, he rolled his eyes at her. As he watched her silently put the other choices back in her bag, he thought about how different things were now in just that instance. The two hadn't had a normal night, not even a normal day in years. Suddenly, everything was where they were years ago.

Except for the apartment, the situation seemed to be remarkably similar. One was under constant scrutiny, cut off from the real world by all means necessary. And the one person that could be able to bring relaxation and comfort was the one that resembled the enemy. The only difference is that Lex could leave his home, at least to go to work.

"I'm going to cut some of the cake up. We can at least try it since I baked it." Chloe smiled as Lex walked back into the kitchen and retrieved the dessert that he had made while she waited for the computer to boot up and load the movie. He picked a classic, black and white, ironic for the man. He had never seen anything black and white until just recently, if even now.

Returning to the couch, he leaned back and nervously moved closer to her as she snuggled into the couch and pulled the blanket over her. "This is wonderful," she answered as she took the first bite. Lex had really changed externally. No one would have pictured the leader of the international business world pulling off a fruit filled delicacy for himself. Ordering up from the kitchen was more his style. Yet, Chloe enjoyed the normalcy of it. She missed it.

Seeing Lex relax into the other end of the couch, Chloe now appreciated the use of the throw pillows that he had acquired. Glancing over in his direction, she watched his eyes as they never removed themselves from the computer screen. Even a laptop to watch a movie, Chloe thought, it must be a nice treat. "Come here. I promise not to bite tonight."

"Does that mean literally or figuratively?"

Chloe smiled in his direction as he moved closer. "Maybe both. Although if we don't get into an argument it'll mean we've gone several meetings without one. What will we do if we stop verbally sparring?"

Lex nodded and pulled her into his shoulder and kissed the top of her head. "We could always go back to arguing about ethics."

Lex pulled away to see her face as she tried to stifle a giggle. "Would that really be an argument now or are you still on shaky ethical ground and just pretending your way through your sentence to get your freedom and the girl?"

Lex threw his feet up on the edge of the coffee table and watched Chloe balance hers on top of his. "I think I may have a shot at the girl," he joked as the movie credits rolled into the story. The two leaned into each other and quietly watched the rest of the movie.

Looking over an hour later, Lex noticed her eyes were still glued to the computer screen but were hazy. Stroking his hand through her hair, he sighed hearing her almost purrlike reaction to him. This all seemed surreal to him. It had taken him this far to understand loyalty, trust, and possibly what real love meant. All he had to do was lose everything to the one woman who seemed to have it all now.

The fact that she worked for his childhood enemy was still weighing on his mind though. Staring blankly at the screen, his mind wandered on how he could get her to talk about her new position and exactly what she was doing for Oliver. Leaning his head back and running his hands still through her hair, he second guessed. If he mentioned her job, more than likely the blacklash would simply be her angry at him for trying to get information out of her and they would be back at square one for real.

Feeling her hand and arm run along his midsection, he knew he still had the power of calculating his words, he would just have to be careful for what reason. Looking back down at her face again, her eyes drooped. Lex moved his shoulder and her head slowly came up. "Take the bed. Go. I'll shut this off," he whispered as Chloe nodded and grabbed her bag. He watched as she trudged to the bathroom slowly.

Chloe stared at herself in the mirror as she slipped into pajama pants and a t-shirt. She found it comforting waking up in his arms even though the whole evening was risky. Coming out of the bathroom, she noticed the lights in the apartment were already out except for the small lamp next to the bed. Chloe made her way to the bed and started to lay down.

"Comfortable?" she heard from his low, quiet voice. Strange how the sound of the voice had never changed but the feeling behind it was so different. She saw him leaned against the kitchen cabinet and guessed he was tidying up.

"Mostly. But something's missing."

"Another blanket?" Lex started toward the closet and could feel her hand brush his thigh purposely and stopped.

Looking up at him, she shook her head. "No, come on," she playfully ordered as she tugged on his hand. "Look, I'm not going to make you sleep on your own couch. We're both adults and despite the incredible urge to make this into something more, we know we can't. So, let's just sleep. I still think it'll be one of the best nights both of us have had in awhile."

Lex watched her pleading eyes as she continued to tug his hand. Easing herself over in the bed, he finally sat down on the edge and felt her hand drop from his. Pullling his shirt over his head, he thought twice about sleeping the way he normally did. Chloe and he were taking an awful risk by her just being there all night; she was his charge and could easily get in trouble if found out. "Chloe."

"Just get undressed and get in bed." She answered hearing the doubt in his voice. She turned over, smile plastered on her face. Partially, she was enjoying the mental tug of war that Lex was having with himself but mostly she finally was reclaiming the feeling from almost five years earlier. The last night they were together.

Like tonight, nothing happened. But Lex ran late that night visiting her in the safehouse and had no choice but to stay. Chloe knew even then he had a choice, but had stayed because of the same type of begging. Trying not to giggle, she thought maybe she had hit upon the way to get Lex to do what she wanted now that he had let his guard down.

Feeling the bed drop a little more, Chloe stayed completely still until she felt a cool soft feeling against her back. An arm snaked around and clasped her hand when it found the end of her arm. She sighed softly feeling his hot breath on the back of her neck. "Goodnight Chloe," Lex whispered as he kissed her shoulder.

"Night Lex," she replied as he scooted closer to her form and they both closed their eyes.

********

Lex turned and watched as the courtroom doors opened. His attorney, which he was not sure how he was being paid, along with Chloe and Clark both walked through the door. Feeling a bit nervous about Clark's presence, he had never been sure if Clark was speaking on his behalf or simply there to watch his former friend still be punished.

Dr. Schell came through the door last and sat next to Chloe as his attorney, someone Lex didn't know, pulled out numerous files and other papers. "Good morning, we're going to try to get through this as painlessly as possible."

Lex just grinned and ran his hands along his temples as he stared at the stacks of papers. "And what is all that for? Are you heading to a recycling plant later?"

The attorney looked over at him, a little put off by his attitude. "Mr. Luthor, I don't know how much they have told you about your situation today. But here is the skinny. You could either go to prison, low security, for the next couple years for tax evasion, be looked on mercifully by the judge and given a few more months to a year in the same place you are now, or actually be released. However, without your accountant here to take his rap, that last option is a bit inconsequential. So, you can sit and make jokes, or nod your head at the right time and to the right questions."

Lex stared at the man and then turned behind him again to see Mark and Bates coming in and sitting behind her. "Hey," he whispered as Chloe looked up. "Where did you get him?"

Chloe smiled what Lex was worried looked like a nervous smile, "Mrs. Kent. He's on loan. You should be gracious. Don't piss him off."

Lex's eyes grew when he realized that Chloe must have gone to some lengths to procure a senator's legal team or man. Turning back around, he instantly stood up at the judge's entrance.

"Sit. I want everyone to be aware that this is a hearing for the continuance of Alexander Luthor's incarceration. There are several witnesses on the list to be heard for character reference but I want both attorneys present to understand, we are not in a trial. I expect it to be treated as such." The older woman judge leaned back in her bench seat as both attorneys nodded in compliance. "Ok, Call your first Mr. Silsbee."

The hearing dragged on for another two hours. Lex sat up straight the entire time, only nodding when persuaded to and answering, "Yes ma'am," several times to the judge as she instructed his future behavior. The way the judge spoke was clearly as vague as it got. After even hearing Chloe and Mark's glowing reviews of his behavior and astonishing positive review from Clark, he still had no idea what the judge thought.

As Bates finally pulled up a chair beside Lex when Mr. Silsbee and the state's attorney disappeared into the judge's chambers, Lex was still nervous. "So what do you think?"

Chloe and Clark moved up to the seat right on the other side of the defendant's seat. Leaning on the railing, he could tell that Chloe was tired. "You got a good chance at least at them lessening the punishment," she stated as she ran her fingers along her temples.

"Clark?" Lex was curious and had to ask although he was somewhat afraid of the answer.

Clark locked eyes with Lex and could feel the pleading that Lex's face gave away. He deserved to rot in jail, to be treated like he had treated others, but the facts were he was there for tax evasion where the buck stops at the boss, not at the person guilty. "I think they need to try harder to find your accountant."

"You didn't answer the question." Chloe raised her head off the railing and stared at the two men having a strange pissing contest in the middle of the courtroom.

"Ok, I think you should take this time now that you trust a shrink to tell exactly the horrible things that you have done for years and have gotten away with or paid people off for. You should be behind bars for that. You shouldn't even be sitting here for this. However, since that money obviously went to the right people to protect you, at this point, it seems fruitless to worry about whether you get to see freedom in six months or now."

By the time Clark was done, Chloe had a firm grip on either sides of his shoulders and was motioning him to walk with her. Lex silently turned back around and stared at the front of the courtroom. Bates leaned over and whispered, "You're a different person now Mr. Luthor. I can attest to that. It's power that can simply destroy a man without his knowledge. I have no doubt you will be successful again once you get out; I just hope this time you'll see the darkness before it takes over."

Lex glanced over at the guard and was about to open his mouth before hearing both sets of doors open. One revealing the attorneys and the judge and the other Chloe without Clark. Looking directly in front of him, he heard over his shoulder, "Sorry."

"Alexander Luthor." The judge didn't skimp or wait on the details. Mr. Silsbee nodded as Lex stood and faced the woman. "There are obviously things that you have done in your past that were shady and probably downright illegal." Mr. Silsbee stood up. "Sit down sir. You know as very well as I that this is an opinion and not part of the judgment. As I was saying. Those unfortunately cannot bring bearing on this judgment. From what I have heard, there is at least a bit of remorse for your immediate past actions. I'm hoping that bodes the same for your actions previous to your personal economic meltdown."

She stopped and Lex just crossed his hands in front of him. "Yes Ma'am."

Smiling, she continued. "Uh huh. After speaking to both sides and hearing the testimony of your actions, I think taking you out of your element and now dropping you in prison would not serve a purpose but to destroy what possible rehabilitation that has taken place. Therefore, I am sentencing you to four months more of the status quo. However, you will not be required to attend anger management, AA, or psychiatric sessions unless you desire. Furthermore, no Saturday work camp and television will be installed. Any questions?"

Lex was partially speechless. He had gotten back basically his life. "I still would like to attend the sessions with Dr. Schell. The others I would like to see how it goes."

"Done. Thank you and I look forward to closing this case in four months. Adjourned." Lex stayed standing as the attorney silently smiled while packing his case. Walking away without a word, he knew the man still didn't care for his client, just the check. Lex knew he a gracious hand written letter to pen when he got back to the apartment.

Turning around, he faced Chloe who calmly nodded her head and smiled. Gathering her things, she turned, "I will meet you back at the apartment. There are some other things that need to be discussed." She started out as Mark caught up to her quickly.

Lex thought about how she and Mark cozied up right after the trial and wondered if there was more there than he had seen before. Bates said nothing to the extent. When he walked in the front door of the Talon, his breath hitched seeing Chloe and Mark in a strange, warm embrace that sent immediate mixed signals. And then Mark left out the kitchen door.

"Good. Bates?"

"I'll be in the back miss," he answered as he followed Mark back into the kitchen and office.

Chloe sat down at one of the small bistro tables. The place was quiet right now, closed for the hearing and would reopen the next day. She motioned silently for Lex to join her and watched as he sat down. Carefully reading his face, she was confused. "I thought you would be happy?"

"Happy isn't exactly the right feeling. In four months, we'll see. Besides, it seems there's more going on in the Talon than I expected." Chloe saw the all too familiar glare that Lex had in his eyes and then remembered what he walked into. "Mark and I are not an item. I was wishing him good luck."

"With me?"

"No, that's what I need to talk to you about. I didn't want you to find out from the judge. Mark is leaving and taking a management job in New York. The opportunity was too good for him to pass up." She stopped and waited for Lex's expression to change from concern to relief. "Good, now for the part includes you. I'm not bringing anyone else in. I know its not Luthorcorp and not nearly as trying as your former job, but it might just keep you out of trouble. I want you to manage this place, at least until you get out of here."

Lex covered his mouth to hide what Chloe couldn't tell was his shock or just plain amusement. She hadn't really done much for the offer; he had the same job he had given Lana years ago, just a different theme. "I get to look at the books."

Chloe looked up from her hands, worried he would laugh at her. "Of course."

"I make menu and other changes as I see fit for the longevity of the place."

He was taking the job seriously. Good, she had hoped for this outcome. "Major cosmetic or implementation changes will go through me. And the sign off for all major purchases through me. And no hiring external help for the books. It got you into this mess."

"Agreed, when do I start?"

Chloe stood up from her seat and put her hands on her hips. "Mark is aiming to leave in 48 hours, so he needs to go over things with you before then. I would take the closing today as a good time to do that."

"And I guess this means you're off to Europe again?" Lex dropped his voice into something more sultry than his business tone as he moved closer to her.

"I'm leaving tomorrow, but have some work in Metropolis tonight, so I'm leaving here pretty quick." The next sentence didn't make it out of her mouth as Lex moved in and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into him tight.

"Call when you arrive safely?" he whispered. "And try not to be gone all four months."

Chloe looked up in his eyes and suddenly saw true, believable sadness pass through the blue. "I will, and I'll see." Putting her head back down to his shoulder, she couldn't kiss him like she was sure he wanted. She wouldn't be able to leave if she did.


	6. Chapter 15 to 17

Chapter 15 – Forward

Chloe pulled up the chair to the table that sat on the lanai that looked over the small garden a block from the beach. Waking to the sea breeze blowing through the windows was something she awed every morning, almost the awe she felt everytime she sat down to work.

She flipped the newspaper open while taking in the scent of chocolate that lingered just a bit over the fresh coffee blend. She slept deeply every night listening to the night sounds in San Diego but felt strangely out of place. It never sounded as busy or fierce as Metropolis. She felt that there was different person living in the bungalow as if she would run into her other self upon returning to Metropolis or even Smallville.

Lifting the cup to her lips she skimmed the front section for stories that might have been broken by Clark or at least had him somehow involved. Strangely, it was quieter without her around looking for things for him to get involved in. Maybe he was finally working toward his ultimate destiny with everyone now separated from Smallville. Leaving him and Lex alone in the town for each other gave Clark few options but to just leave.

Stretching her legs out in the seat next to her, she started on an article that had relevance to the last discussion she had with Lionel earlier in the week. The medical company that part of Luthorcorp was now being hidden behind had just discovered a new vaccine that would fight off the HIV virus, a monumental discovery that Lionel insisted stay covered up from certain incarcerated prying eyes, at least for the moment.

"Dammit," Chloe whispered as she put her cup down and ran across the living room to answer the doorbell that she was trying to ignore.

Opening the door, her perturbed face became confused and concerned. "Mr. Luthor?" she whispered as Lionel lifted his head from the smartphone in his hand.

"Ms. Sullivan, I know this is totally unexpected, but we need to discuss a few things before the board meeting on Monday morning." He stopped and nodded leaning against the doorframe as Chloe's hands went on her hips and her lip upturned. "Ok, maybe that isn't the only thing I came to talk to you about."

"Come in," Chloe softly replied as she closed the door behind the older man. "You're welcome to some coffee and pastry. The place downstairs was very nice about dropping them off last night. Wonder who sent me those?"

"Ahh, that would be Oliver. I am more of a nice wine and cheese tray man myself. How is the new housing suiting you?"

Chloe wrapped herself up with her coffee from the lanai on the love seat across from the still rigid older man that sat in the high back chair. "It's beyond wonderful. You know I didn't need to be able to hear the ocean to be comfortable, but you don't do anything halfway."

"No, I don't, at least not for you." The unusual pleasant silence fell between the two old enemies. Chloe continued to eye the strange new home, taking in more of the art and décor that she hadn't yet gotten to enjoy. The 16 hour days didn't give her enough time in the three weeks since leaving Smallville after Lex's trial, but she had a feeling this visit was going to cut into that.

"So?" Chloe faced the older man that went back to the buzzing phone in his hand and watched as his silent expression spoke volumes. "Problems?"

"Nothing that can't be handled. Denise and I are having a little trouble with some contractor on the house. She has a personality conflict with him and I'm dead, so telling her exactly what to tell him is not working so well." The two fell into a silence again before Lionel spoke. "What would you say if I never died."

Chloe almost choked on the coffee she had just sipped as she quickly sat the cup on the living room table and stared at the man that now looked more like grizzly Adams than a former CEO billionaire. "Huh?" Chloe realized that she couldn't even make words to explain her confusion.

"Denise and I have been talking and I spoke to Dr. Schell about Lex's last few sessions. There have been things said."

Chloe rose from the couch and started pacing. Running her hand through her hair, she could feel her heartbeat significantly increase in her chest. The last time she felt those nerves was the strange threatening she received from Lex right before being fired. Opening her mouth several times, she finally found her voice. "Not that I can control what you do Mr. Luthor, but spying on your son I thought was one of those things that you stopped."

Lionel's head lowered as he heard the venom in her voice. "He contacted me when Lex finally started opening up about me." Lionel tapped a few buttons on the phone and sat it down on the table.

Chloe stood in the middle of the living room and watched as the little screen ticked over several seconds of air before she heard his voice. She hadn't heard it even over the phone in almost a month. She crawled back onto the couch to keep from falling over. It was as somber as she had heard except for the night they were together last. She honestly couldn't tell if he really meant the words that were being said or if it was just for the doctor's amusement. Then she remembered that Lex had chosen to still meet with the doctor.

_"You know he tried to apologize to me a couple of times. I guess the whole time I was thinking that he was just trying to get me to break again where he could keep me under his thumb." Lex paced while answering the doctor._

"What happened when you resisted?"

"I just drove him further away. Didn't even see him before he died. I didn't want him to think I was remorseful."

"And now?"  


Chloe and Lionel locked eyes as the only thing that they heard Lex respond with was a sigh. Chloe could only imagine the look on Lex's face. "You know just because he says those things doesn't mean he wants you to appear on the doorstep." Chloe watched Lionel shove the phone back into his coat pocket.

"I realize that. And the fact of me walking into Smallville would bring much undo attention to me as it is. Denise is going."

Chloe's eye shot up. "You are joking right?"

Lionel sat back silently and stared at Chloe. She huffed and continued to pace in udder shock of the thought of Denise quietly spying on Lionel's son for the sake of seeing him. "Have you talked to Denise about it? From what I knew about her, she never cared for any of the Luthor family dynamics."

Lionel stood up on the opposite of the table from Chloe. "I realize that and I haven't asked her yet. It may not even occur. I just … things have changed for me. And him." Chloe was still incredibly quiet and shocked. Chloe walked back into the kitchen poured a glass of water. Suddenly, the coffee was to thick to flow down her throat.

She felt somewhat bad about leaving Lionel sitting alone in the living room, but she couldn't steady herself with the bomb he was dropping in her lap. After the whole plan that had been orchestrated, carefully planned, meticulously pulled off, the end almost complete. Now the man who had no conscience now has a change of heart. Chloe wanted to personally find his Jimney Cricket and squash it.

Gaining some composure, Chloe walked back into the living room to see him on the phone now, obviously talking to Denise about something with drywall. A strange sense fell on her about wondering what it would be like if Lex now heard his father the way she heard him. "I am sorry about this. I wanted your opinion and I got it."

Chloe sat back down across from the man. "I don't think it would be a wise idea, at least not now. I think there's still some situations he's in that remind him of you. The fact he's effectively in prison is enough." Chloe swallowed and hoped Lionel would simply drop the idea at all.

Lionel took a deep breath and nodded. Running his hand along his beard, he stared at Chloe for the longest time. He dropped his eyes when he saw Chloe shift uncomfortably. "Lillian always wanted a daughter. It was something about my grooming Lex and her wanting someone for her. I understand a lot more now with Denise. Still, I wonder what would have been different if Lauren hadn't been stillborn."

"What?" Chloe turned and stared in Lionel's direction. She thought she had heard him correctly but from all of her research she had never read anything about a girl. "You had a girl?"

"There's a little rose bush where the mansion used to be before I moved it. No headstone; we knew what it was for. A couple of years before Lex came along. Lillian was never the same after never having a daughter. I could have imagined her taking to you immediately." He looked up and could see Chloe's mouth full open in shock. "I think Denise visiting her kids this week is getting to me. It's hard to hide me and for me to not acknowledge that I have a son too."

Silence fell on the small condo as Lionel sat and stared out the window. Chloe watched the digital clock flip several minutes over before Lionel spoke again. "Your meeting on Monday will be fine. Let's keep our work under wraps a bit longer. I want to make sure the final trials are ready." Lionel got up from the chair and quietly let himself out leaving Chloe still in stunned silence.

********

Lex walked through the gym and went over a final check of the machines with the specialty mechanic that he had hired to keep the machines working. Unlocking the door, he smiled at the teenage girl that worked the front desk of the gym before he disappeared into the restaurant.

The last month had been busy with the change of hands. On the phone with Mark almost every night, he was still trying to get a hold on all the aspects of the business he had been left with. It was somewhat unsettling thinking that he was running a little more than what he had given Lana free reign over. Now he, even when he didn't have to, wanted to make sure that he didn't mess up. He wasn't sure who was watching and how much of a failure of the restaurant would affect his image once he was released.

Walking back into the kitchen, the short order cooks that replaced the ones Mark took with him had slowly started learning the organization. Lex had pulled some mornings the first couple of weeks actually cooking all the orders himself until the cooks were together. He laughed to himself through the mistakes seeing that the arrangement that Chloe made for Mark felt more like a test for Lex.

"Good morning," he smiled as he put out the free decaf coffee on the front table. The woman was not someone he had seen before but she smiled just the same as she sat down at one of the corner tables. "Is there something I can get you? The quiche today is very well done."

"Some of the raspberry tea and I'll take a piece of that quiche. Also a mineral water and one of those scones. I have someone meeting me here. We're just passing through."

Lex nodded and headed back into the kitchen not seeing the front door open. The khaki pants and darker shirt that the man donned didn't look out of the ordinary. His beard now gone and full sunshades hid most of his features along with the fedora.

Keeping his head buried in the paper, he reached out and quickly squeezed the woman's hand across from him. He watched out of the corner of his eye as Lex set the drinks and breakfast down on the small table. "Can I get you anything else?"

Lowering his head, he nodded silently as the woman politely said no. Lowering the paper in front of him, he watched as him move to another table and chat with customers that were obviously regulars. Lex had actually found a strange stride in actual work. He looked looser than he had in years.

"He looks good," Denise commented quietly as Lionel carefully ate before going back to his newspaper. "What are you going to do?"

Lionel shook his head and couldn't answer. Denise couldn't tell if he was trying not to be picked up on or just not wanting to talk. The last week Lionel had gone over the plans that he was going to reveal himself to Lex, against Chloe's advice.

He watched Lex move around and working the room. He had the same poise as he had in the boardroom years ago, but seemed to be happier than before. He watched his son disappear into the kitchen and threw some money on the table. "No, it's the wrong time. Let's go."

Denise smiled and followed the man out of the place, looking back as Lex headed toward the table. Looking out the door, Lex wondered who passing through Smallville left twenty dollar tips.

******

"Hello?" Chloe picked up the phone groggy and not sure what time it was. She knew it was one of her rare mornings that she could sleep in.

"Are you there Chloe?" Lex paced in the apartment wondering what the sleepy sound on the other end of the line was from; it was the afternoon in London. Not that the time or what she was doing mattered; it was her voice he needed, anything after the month, the day he had.

She heard the voice and finally stirred awake realizing Lex's voice was on the other end of the line. "Hey, what's going on?"

"I didn't think I'd wake you. You sick?"

"No, out of town. It's morning." Chloe tried to quickly figure the time difference between California and England. It had been about a month and she hadn't heard form him. She wasn't quite sure what was more surprising, that he called her or waited so long.

"Sorry, I just needed to talk to someone." Chloe sat up and tried to shake herself awake as his voice seemed strange even for Lex at his lowest. "Ever had the feeling you were being watched, like a weird apparition."

Chloe pulled the phone back and briefly looked as if she wasn't sure what he was talking about. "Lex, are you ok? You haven't been drinking?"

"No, I just had this strange feeling that someone is watching me. Not like in a dangerous sniper way. Chloe someone left me a twenty dollar tip yesterday. It was very odd."

Chloe closed her eyes and bit her lip. She wanted cut off the conversation and tell Lionel to get the hell out of Smallville before someone caught him. The man was not as stealthy as he used to be. "Maybe someone just really appreciated your work. Lex, the same people come and go there every day except for just a few. It was someone out of the ordinary. Don't worry about it. Honestly that's not the reason you called is it?"

She left the phone silent. Lex leaned back on the couch in his apartment. He had hired an assistant that was opening where he could have a break. He had been out of sorts since the tip the day before. "I was hoping you would check in."

"I trust you to run a business, at least one in Smallville. You have to start small." She bit her lip knowing that checking in had nothing to do with the restaurant. "I've been incredibly busy."

"I know. I just wanted to hear your voice."

"Then let's talk. I don't need to be getting ready for an hour or so." Chloe sat up and pulled the covers up over her. Smiling to herself, she had just had one of the hardest months of her life. She picked up the phone every evening just to dial seven digits and hang up. He had to make the first move. She wouldn't be the weak one anymore.

Chapter 16 – New Energy

Chloe stepped out of the car and stared up at the old building. The few cars still parked in the lot showed that something still occurred at the old Luthorcorp plant, but much less than in the past. It was about to change. Biodeisel was about to make a sharp movement on the stock exchange and in people's minds.

Walking up to the front door, she waved her card over the security and nodded quietly at the guard posted on the other side of the door. She made her way down one of the same hallways where she had been attacked by the same guards not but just a few years ago.

"Good morning Oliver. So are we ready to flip the switch tonight?" Chloe handed the binder of paperwork to him as he turned in step with her down the hall.

"I think we are on track. We have a full press conference set up. Most of the former employees that have not moved on are on their way back as well as Senator Kent. I think she has an incredible stake vested in letting us move back here and hope to revitalize the community."

Oliver sat in the immaculate office that Chloe only guessed had been the one nice hole in the musty factory and Lex's old office. Glancing at the walls, it felt stale. "I take it the redecorator hasn't arrived to redo the Luthor taste."

"I figured for the time being we would leave well enough alone seeing we haven't made a permanent decision on manager placement. But I still liked the way Gretchen Peters was running the ¼ operation." Oliver looked up from the paperwork at Chloe's uncomfortable grunt and irritated look. "I know you didn't quite like the way Lionel used her to test his personal theory, but she is good at what she does."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Fine, but I don't want her around Lex."

"Done. I doubt Lex would really appreciate being put back in the first job that he had. Anyway, let me give you the rest of the tour and then go over the announcement notes for the evening." Chloe looked back down at her notes and continued with her meeting without letting the nagging feeling of what Oliver said last bothering her.

Chloe followed Oliver down the hall; she wasn't' going to tell Oliver that she knew her way around after all the years she had visited her dad or snuck around. The further they strolled through the plant looking at minor issues that had flared up over the week, the more her thoughts had moved to Lex.

Stopping in front of the main generator, Chloe couldn't go without asking. "Oliver, I feel really strange about making this announcement about the company and the plant without even letting Lex know. I know you and he were at each others throats for years, and believe me I have seen why, but isn't fair to at least tell him the truth."

Oliver turned from the computer screen he was looking at and shook his head at Chloe. "He'll find out with everyone else. Chloe, he's not special anymore; he gets no privileged information."

"Even with the plan that you have in place? You don't think he deserves that much?"

Oliver started back down the hall toward the office and answered her without looking at her, "I think you need to start thinking with your head and stay out of your heart."

Lex leaned back against the counter that night and watched a wall of cars that all drove down the main drag in one direction. Spring athletics were not typically that involved for the town to all shut down, but he watched shop owners all lock up early and leave as well.

He nodded pleasantly as an older gentleman walked through the door in an overcoat that was overly stylish for Smallville, more like an Italian tailor. "Good evening, I need a … my heavens how the mighty fall."

Lex stood against the counter feeling the weight of the man's eyes burning into him. "Yes sir. Can I get you something?"

"Just something to keep me awake until I get to the plant. The drive has been backed up for miles." The man threw a ten on the table not quite sure of the price but seeing Lex Luthor behind the counter was worth the ticket price.

"May I ask what's going on at the plant? My impression was that they were finalizing closing it down." Lex handed the man a cup of coffee to go and handed the man his change.

"Keep it. No, apparently a subsidiary of the old Luthorcorp has been working on some green and charitable projects from behind closed doors and are planning on some big announcement tonight. The plant is going online as the new premier biodiesel producer in the country. Some coordinated effort with Queen Industries."

Lex leaned back against the counter. Oliver was taking advantage of Lex's situation in more ways than one. Lex then bit on his lip remembering Chloe's position she got with Queen; she would be in town, just miles away. Shaking his head, he couldn't fall for her that weakly.

"So Queen Industries is in charge? And you are?" Lex asked, still curious about the whole situation.

"Not really, just a joint venture this one location from what I gathered in the board reports. I sit on the board for Queen, not that my input had anything to do with the decision. Apparently there have been several companies from your old holdings that have floated back together in the last few months. You didn't know anything?"

Lex swallowed and felt himself slowly backed into a corner. Trying to ignore the urge to fire back at the man in a way that sounded like his former self, he simply smirked slightly. "I attend to other things now."

The man chuckled slightly, "I'm sure the gym and food biz is much more … involved. Nice talking to you." The man turned after leaving the empty cup on the counter along with the change.

Lex ran his hand along his scalp, pressing harder with every inch. He knew the man was attempting to goad him, but he didn't want to fall into that again. Still, his curiosity was killing him. Turning on the television, he quickly found a local channel and pulled up a chair.

_"Good evening Smallville. My name is Oliver Queen of Queen Industries and I am so happy to be here this evening for this wonderful announcement. Behind me you see only the small lights that illuminate what had been a defunct plant and a painful memory to those in town who had been laid off almost a year ago."_

Lex stiffened at the reminder of losing not only that plant but everything. Focusing, he stared at the woman in light blue dress suit. Chloe had grown up beyond what he could have imagined, maturing even more in the last year.

_"Tonight, we bring the lights up once again on a plant that at one time was the hallmark of this town and this region. It showed that Kansas had growth possibilities and now we do again."_ Oliver stopped and signaled someone off the stage.

Lex took a deep breath seeing the lights of the plant flip on and light up the crowds that adorned the parking lot in front of what used to be his plant. All the Luthorcorp signia now was removed and replaced with a signage that Lex couldn't possibly place.

_"As you can see ladies and gentleman, the plant has a new vision and a new future. Many of you in the last week have received letters of interest for you to return, to be trained in new positions, some promoted. Smallville is a special place; many of you have lived here for generations and I am in agreement with President of this new corporation that states that this town cannot perish."_

Lex stared at the logo still, Lane Industries. The L was more of a block L than Luthorcorp. Rubbing his chin, he drowned out the noise of whatever Oliver was going on about and knew he remembered Lane from something. General Lane had met with him once before about some military contract, but he couldn't stretch it. Shaking his head, he laughed off the improbable connection.

_"Now ladies and gentleman, to introduce the operations director for the newly formed Lane Industries, Ms. Chloe Sullivan."_ Oliver applauded as Chloe rose from her chair and waved at the crowd.

"What?" Lex's attention immediately was pulled back to the screen as he heard her name. He watched as Chloe elegantly walked to the podium and thanked everyone for their attendance and began to speak about the actual implementation of the plant. Lex heard no words, just her voice, saw her face in a position of power he had never pictured her in. His.

********

Chloe sat in her car a block from the Talon and stared at the lights as they went out. The open tours of the plant had lasted longer than expected, but she finally escaped to see the last people leave the restaurant.

She knew he had to have seen, one of Oliver's board members couldn't quit talking about running into Lex in town. Gripping the wheel, she gritted her teeth until she could feel a headache coming on. She was scared. Scared of what Lex would think of her, what he would say to her. She had wanted to tell him beforehand but Oliver left no time. She knew Oliver wanted the element of surprise to drive the knife into Lex from afar.

"Goddammit." Chloe beat her head on the wheel and grabbed her purse. Slamming the car door, she stomped down the street and banged on the glass doors, praying Lex had already headed up to the apartment.

Raising her head up and pushing her purse strap up higher on her shoulder, she bit the inside of her cheek as she saw the light click back on and then him appear at the door. Was that a smile on his face? Thrown back by the way he greeted her on the other side of the glass, her face stayed long.

"I've seen that look before." Lex opened the door as Chloe's facial expression hadn't changed. "After awhile it gives you awful migraines and wrinkles too early. Then again, you new position might do that as well." Turning, he locked the door and stared at her. "Come by for some tips?"

Chloe leaned back on her heels as her purse slinked back down her arm were Chloe eventually dropped it in the floor. Lex watched as she continued to just stand completely silent in front of him. Her face was flushed but her head never dropped; she was stoic. "Chloe?"

Chloe breathed shallowly as she moved toward Lex. "Not really," she whispered as her arms wrapped around his neck and her lips found his.

Chapter 17 - Open Doors

Lex pulled out of the kiss before Chloe's tongue found the back of his throat. Feeling her head drop into his chest, he couldn't tell if she was crying or just stunned. Pulling her back away from his body, he was shocked himself that he wasn't giving in. "Talk to me Chloe. This isn't you."

Chloe pulled her head up and stared into his eyes. He could see the tears that were welling up in her eyes and not quite sure what she was upset about.

Running her hands up and down his arms, she still looked deeply in his eyes without saying anything. Her smile that was on her face wasn't convincing Lex. Cocking his head slightly to the side, he was strangely quiet and not egging her on.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded silently. "I'm not really in the mood to talk anymore today. I have talked about oil about as long as I want today. I'm not in the mood to discuss my feelings either."

Lex slightly chuckled at the comment. He had been there before. Feeling her take his hand, he smiled. He wasn't normally in the position to be the one led, but it was Chloe. Whether physically or mentally, Chloe had been leading his decisions for a long time.

Walking him to the bottom of the stairs, she turned. "I'm frankly tired of talking." Stepping up on one of the steps where she could look directly in his eyes, she ran her hand along the side of his face. "I have had a very long day. I have a long week ahead of me. I have not been relaxed in weeks and I have a feeling you haven't been satisfied in several months."

Lex didn't leave the floor as Chloe continued up the next two steps until her hand was about to pull from his. She turned around and stared at him. "This isn't the right way," was all that Lex said matter of factly.

Chloe put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "Then what the hell do you suggest would be the right way? I have been on pins and needles trying to keep my hands off you and behave while you went from being a pompous prick to someone that resembled having a heart. All the while, I was still in love with you. And now I'm handing myself to you and you..."

Lex stepped up two steps covered her lips with his fingers. "Was in love?" he whispered as he lowered his hand.

Chloe swallowed hard and choked out, "still."

"Good," Lex whispered. "Love you too." Lex turned her around and pushed her hair out of the way before stepping up another step and kissing the back of her neck.

Feeling his hands on her waist, Chloe's body felt as if it melted. Feeling the pressure on her waist she started up the stairs and was met by his body meeting hers as he reached around to open the door for her.

Downstairs, Bates pulled a chair up next to the outside door and the end of a booth. Sitting back into the booth and putting his feet up, he started reading a book. "About time," he sighed, somewhat smiling.

The room was dark except for the one light in the bathroom that he left on all the time apparently. She let him take her purse from around her shoulder and sat it next to the door. "Do you want a drink?" he asked politely as he turned a small lamp on the living room table on.

Chloe stood nervously in the middle of the apartment that used to be hers and smiled. She couldn't quit wringing her hands together. "I'm good, thanks."

She watched as Lex moved around the apartment finishing up some tidying. Her mind moved from watching his fluid movements to thinking about how long this moment had taken. She had understood the lack of advancement on his part years ago. It had been an awkward time for her and him back then. And neither, especially him, had interest in letting their guard down. Now was slightly different.

She was old enough now. And smarter now.

"If you want, you're welcome to stand there the rest of the evening," Lex commented bluntly.

Chloe missed what he said but looked in his direction as he looked at her. Realizing she had not moved from her position when she first moved in, she wondered what Lex was thinking about her. "I was thinking."

"Thinking? I thought we weren't going to do that or talk tonight." Lex moved closer to her and kissed her on the back of the neck again. Feeling his lips hit her pulse, she felt the flush in her cheeks rise and was glad that the light wasn't on. She turned in his direction after hearing Lex moan into her neck.

"Are you trying to seduce me Mr. Luthor?" Chloe playfully asked as she ran her hands up his chest slowly before running her fingertips over his neck and back down his chest. "Because you know you don't have to try so hard. But I expect your best work."

Chloe moved one leg past him, pressing her body closer to his before knocking him off balance and toward the bed. "Best work huh? I'm a little out of practice thanks to this spunky blonde and her investigation instincts."

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Chloe slipped her skirt up to her hips, revealing the black thigh highs, before straddling the man. "I'm sure you'll find it. I hear sex is like riding a bicycle. Besides, we have several hours to practice."

Lex closed his eyes and couldn't hold in the feral groan as his hand locked onto her waist. Pushing his other hand in between them, he worked her jacket buttons until she peeled it off and left it on the floor. Her hands silently undid each button on his shirt, which welcomed a little more skin to press her lips against every time.

Chloe leaned back slightly and could already feel the growing bulge that she yet to release. She secretly wondered how many times Lex let a woman be in control of what happened in the bedroom. Smiling to herself, she ran her hands down his now bare front and pushed the shirt down and watched him removed it completely before undoing his belt.

"Wasting no time," he groaned into her chest as he teethed at her lace bra. Bringing his hands up to her chest, he felt her small hands grab them around the wrists and push them back into the bed.

"Wasted enough. Lay back." She was going to keep the upper hand even in their first time. Laying back, he ran his hands along the edge of her thigh high in heated anticipation and hope that she wouldn't remove them. "Leave these on," he almost begged as he ran his finger underneath the edge.

"As you wish," she smiled down at him before she slipped her unzipped skirt over her head to the shock of Lex. "It was easier that way," she quipped as her fingers dragged his chest again.

"Chloe," he choked has he felt her sit up on her knees and pull his pants over the side of the bed and out of the way. Only two small layers separated them now. "I don't have any..."

"Don't worry," she whispered as she ran her lips along his neck. Leaning against his chest, she ran her hands along his arms and then around her own back.

Not able to take the teasing anymore, Lex grabbed her hair and pressed her lips firmly against his until he could hear her moan into mouth. "Say it," he forced out in between his plunging his tongue into her mouth.

"I'm in charge. You have no power," Chloe panted as she kissed him harder and sucked on his neck.

Lex grabbed at her chin and made her stare in his direction. "Say it," he huffed before wadding at her hair and forcing her lips against his again. Pulling her head up, he watched as her breathing increased.

Pulling up with her hair, Chloe's face read the picture of tormented ecstasy more than pain. Sitting her up, Lex watched her strapless bra fall to his chest and her move it to the side. "Say it."

"Is this some kind of last word sick joke with you? Isn't this like how all this started?" Lex could see the playfulness in her accusation and smiled slightly before he pulled her down toward his mouth, taking the handful of her breast in his mouth, licking a pattern until he found one that made her jump.

"Say it," he moaned out of the side of his mouth before taking the other breast in his mouth.

"Fuck me," Chloe gasped.

"As you wish boss." Lex playfully mumbled against her chest before closing his eyes as Chloe's hand moved to removing their last barrier.

*********

Chloe had fallen to sleep. Lex rephrased that in his head; she had passed out after the last round. Lying in bed, analyzing the curves of her back, his eyes began to close on their own too. He figured he needed some sleep before work in a few hours.

He closed his eyes and blew small kisses down her shoulder blades, nothing to wake her but the last touch of her skin would hopefully hold him over for however long it was until he could be with her again. He already knew taking the first step that night was a mistake. Nothing could possibly work out between them with her working for Oliver Queen. The man wouldn't let Lex within 100 meters of the building she was in just for security reasons. He would have to figure out something though because he didn't plan on losing the feeling of wholeness he had been missing for years.

Lex turned over and stared at the phone on the dresser next to him. He kind of laughed remembering that as soon as he was boss, people started calling at strange hours. Lifting the phone up, he read the text.

Handover went well. You speak beautifully. Grabbing the podium too hard is telling. Have news. Will see you later.

Lex reread the message and couldn't keep his curiosity from getting to him. Pulling up the address book, the strange name didn't register but the sentence about the podium sounded familiar.

Putting the phone down, he stared again at the back of the woman he had after waiting months, years for her. He had gone about things so wrong to get her but she was there now. Upset with what she didn't even know occurred, he closed his eyes and hoped he would get some sleep.

***********

Chloe opened her eyes to an open window and a sweet musky smell. Glancing over at the clock that was next to the bed, it blinked to 5 AM. Calculating, she thought that they may have another half hour before he had to get up. She was somewhat in charge but couldn't close the place to the morning folks just because she wanted to take him again.

A smile broke across her face as the flashes of last night came back. The shower had not helped as they had worked up another sweat as they got out. She was sore after the last time. He had predicted right. His need was way higher than her stamina. They would learn to pace themselves.

Her face fell at the thought. The prospect of Lex and her making an actual couple after she was named the manager would have painted her as a weak figurehead taking orders from an out of work boss. She couldn't be treated that way. They would have to work out something else.

"Good morning," she heard in her hair as arms went around her naked waist. Another smile silently appeared on her face as she felt a finger run in between her legs and into her opening.

"Morning. Are you trying to get me off again?" she slightly turned to kiss him.

"Is it working," he mused as he could feel her body shift into his hand. "Because you may have to finish this one off on your own."

Turning her body completely over, Chloe guided his hand back to where it had been. "Really, can't take it anymore?" She asked as she squeezed his length.

Lex suppressed a groan and closed his eyes. "Partly, and I have to get up. But, God Chloe, I promise to finish my part if you keep going while I get ready." Lex pulled her fingers from around his cock and pulled his hand from her before throwing the covers away from their bodies.

Chloe lay on the bed somewhat shocked at the obvious true statement. She honestly had thought Lex would keep playing, but he got out of bed and disappeared into the bathroom. Hearing the water run, Chloe stared out the window and pictured the nights she had in her place in California.

Her hand returned to her warmth as she continued to make circles in her warmth. She closed her eyes and could picture last night all over. At least now she had no fantasies to play too, but the real thing to remember.

Lex stood in the open door to the bathroom as he got finished dressing and then looked at the clock. She hadn't opened her eyes or stopped panting in ten minutes. He wondered if she had ever done the same thing before when they were apart. He knew that his release last night was finally not in his hand or the shower floor.

Walking across the floor, he waited for her to stop or open her eyes. Unbuttoning his sleeve, he easily sat in between her legs on the bed and felt his cock twitch to her ministrations. Leaning over he slid a finger in until her hips moved completely off the bed. Hearing her panting and hoarse calls of his name increase, he continued until her speed had hit a hilt.

Leaning over he lapped his tongue between her legs as she screamed his name and body convulsed through waves of her orgasm. Lex smiled as he left her side and washed his hands before buttoning his shirt sleeve again.

Chloe tried to catch her breath. Opening her eyes finally, she was greeted by a man in a light blue shirt sitting next to her on the bed, drawing circles on her belly with his finger. "Good morning. Come down whenever you feel like it." He kissed her gently on the lips and started toward the door.

Chloe smiled as she picked up her phone to check for messages. Swallowing, she knew he had seen. "Lex."

Lex stopped and turned around as he opened the door. "Remember I love you. Let's have dinner tonight. Invite my dad along."


	7. Chapter 18 to 19

Chapter 18 - The Invited Guest

Chloe's voice caught in her throat. She had meant to say something, but silence bit her in the mouth as soon as Lex's last statement had fallen from his lips. Frozen in place with the sheet pulled up over her bare body, she suddenly felt alone in a way she hadn't in a long time.

Pulling her clothes off the chair next to the bed, she slunk into the bathroom and slid down the shower wall after locking the door and turning on the water. She felt each individual drop run down her body, feeling the trickling beads that ran down her face, between her breasts and finally between her legs. After what had just occurred, Chloe thought she would quiver from the still intense throbbing that was going on in her center. But she couldn't feel anything. Numb as Lex's voice replayed in her mind over and over. He knew. He knew about his father and would soon figure it all out.

Swallowing, she shuddered back anymore tears and grabbed the washcloth she had used the night before and wiped her face and finished showering. As she exited the bathroom now dressed she looked around the little apartment Lex now had truly made into a passable home and Chloe shook her head.

Lex had made it work; he had taken his punishment and turned it on its head. Biting her lip, she refused cussing his success out. He never had to actually be a success; he just had to do his time and then get out of Smallville. Instead, he looked at the punishment as a challenge and turned it into a success. He had learned he could do it without his money, without his cronies, without breaking the law, and most importantly without his father watching over his shoulder. Now as far as she knew that was all but gone.

Chloe closed the door to the apartment and knew exactly where she would have to go right after leaving the Talon. Looking down below, she watched as Lex counted out the cash drawer while giving directions to a couple of the college kids that helped out in the morning. New cronies, but they seemed to work more for him than his old minions.

Still, Chloe eyed the front door and wondered how she would make it across the still closed restaurant without either Lex or Bates speaking to her. She made it down the stairs and smiled silently at one of the boys before making it to the front before feeling a hand on her arm. Turning, Lex gripped her tighter as she continued to walk out the door.

"Why are you sneaking out? I had the cook make you up a breakfast and I got a coffee on the bar for you."

Chloe turned and looked at Lex. She couldn't tell whether she should act more shocked or more appreciative. Smiling nervously, she smoothed her hand over Lex's hand as he removed his grip. "I honestly figured after your last statement that you wouldn't want to see me."

Leaning in closer to avoid letting prying eyes from the employees to not hear the whole conversation, Lex touched her cheek and made her quiver. "You're scared?" Running his thumb down her cheek, he felt a knot in his stomach when her cheek seemed to get colder. He couldn't think of anything else to say, "Chloe calm down."

"Lex, it's hard to imagine that that particular phrase would drop from your lips after what you've just learned and think you have nothing but honest intentions." Chloe wanted to smile, but was still cautious. She was conflicted knowing that only an hour earlier things were so normal, so safe it seemed.

"I just want you to have breakfast. I don't want you starting out your new career like I did, on booze and stress. Come on." Lex put his hands to his sides and then motioned her toward the booth in the corner that had her breakfast sitting on it. Watching her scoot into the booth, he was careful and sat across from her in one of the chairs as one of the college kids opened the doors.

Lex watched silently as she ate carefully and with one eye glaring at him, no doubt waiting for something to happen. He didn't blame her, at least for her sudden fear of him that built up. In hindsight, he thought he may have gone about pointing out that he knew about his dad being alive in a very wrong way.

Truthfully, he didn't know whether to have gone after her or let her just walk out of the Talon after he left the apartment. The look of sheer dread on her ultra white face as he glanced once before he left told him that he approached the topic the way he always had in the past. As a sidebar to unnerve his opponent's confidence. He hadn't meant it that way, at least to her.

He had hoped he had been seeing things in the strange shadow on the television the night before. There was no beard and no long hair; he had no reason to rub that into Lex's face anymore. His clothes were definitely dark, hoping that the camera would catch him in the shadow of one of the pillars, but Lex thought he was seeing a ghost. That was at least until the text in the morning. Still, he hoped Chloe wouldn't give away the fact he did exist, but he had made her vulnerable and she faltered.

Looking up as Chloe slowly finished off the full breakfast, he wondered if he had lost his opportunity. "Chloe? How was it?"

"Good," Chloe nodded as she finished up. "I have to get going," she rushed through her sentence and picked up her bag. Sliding out of the booth, she started off again as if she was trying to escape the place.

"Chloe."

She stopped hearing the strange quiet, almost pleading sound to her name. Turning she looked at the man she was truly in love with. She still couldn't wrap her mind around the place she happened to be in, or in between. "Lex, I have to..."

"I know. Work calls, but tonight?" Lex stopped and watched Chloe's chest heave in nervous reaction. "I really want to have dinner with you and my father."

Chloe half smiled, "Thanks for breakfast." Turning, she could feel Lex's eyes still boring into her as she walked out of the door.

********

Chloe walked into her office at the plant in Smallville and threw her bag across the room, watching some of the lighter makeup items fall to the ground. Sitting down in the high desk chair, she put her face in her hands but could decide whether crying or laughing would work better on her predicament.

"Good morning," Oliver said as he looked around and picked up an eye pencil. "Or not. Chloe, did you get in a fight with your face again?"

Chloe's head shot up and Oliver looked as a lock of her hair stuck to her eyelashes and her face was flushed. "Or not a good morning."

"Not a good morning. Can I please go home and start over from yesterday?" Chloe leaned back in the chair as Oliver sat down across the desk from her, handing her several of her purse items.

"What gives?"

Chloe took a deep breath. He had to know; he was in on most of the planning anyway. "Lex knows."

"Sure, he does," Oliver said coolly, not thinking of the same thing. "We told the whole world yesterday Chloe and you're going to do a great job. Your dad would be so proud."

Shaking her head, she huffed. She wasn't quite sure how her dad would take her seeking revenge on another person by making them miserable and living well under their former means. Still, Lex handled it as a champ in the last few months. "No, Lex knows about Lionel."

Eyes widened in shock, Oliver leaned over the desk, poised and staring at Chloe. "I told the old man to stay away from the reporters and the announcement in general last night."

Chloe got up and halfway smiled, the pressure of the whole old man and his son together again had moved from stress to hilarity. Pacing over to the file cabinet, she looked over a couple of files that she needed to work on before the evening's festivities. "He listens to you about as well as he listens to me. He was in the Talon awhile back, but so well hidden Lex missed him. Missed him, but could tell he was there. Now I have to tell the man that he is expected at dinner tonight with Lex and me."

"I'm sure that will be a thrilling conversation." Oliver got up and smiled at Chloe, who had now clamed down enough to get some work done. "Let me know if you run into a snag. I have a plane to catch to the east coast later."

Oliver was just about out the door when Chloe looked up. "Am I a good person?" Oliver stopped and turned, looking concerned. "Really, am I a good person?"

"Chloe you have wonderful heart and an incredibly sharp mind." Oliver paced over and pulled her chin up to meet his eyes. "You just happen to be tough as nails."

"But am I a good person?"

The two fell silent as Oliver just stood over and shook his head. Lex was making her double guess herself again. "Yes, you are. And don't let Lex make you feel any different. Remember as long as he stays where he is, we have the upper hand."

Oliver turned when he got to the doorway, looking back at Chloe as she did some quiet figuring. "That's what I'm afraid of."

********

Chloe smiled at the couple of gentlemen that were newly rehired from town as she passed through the hallways. She felt odd; the same men were doing slightly different jobs than before for a little less money than before for the old plant manager's daughter.

Looking into the main employee lounge, she watched as a couple of the men laughed over their lunch and expressed obvious happiness for finally being back on the job. If everything else fell apart, at least Chloe knew that some people would appreciate the little things, like a job.

"I see the employees are already taking advantage," the older man said over Chloe shoulder.

"It's the lunch hour; they are entitled and required to take it." Chloe responded with some what of a venomous response. She really had not expected to have this conversation in the hallway.

"Ahhh, working for the workers I see. Your father would approve."

Chloe whipped around and looked over the man wearing a dark overcoat and looking every bit his former self except for his slightly washed out face and sunglasses. "You leave him out of this after what you did to him."

Lionel led Chloe down the hall and back to her office without passing another person. Closing the door to her office, he watched as she filed some things before pulling up something on the computer, not uttering a word. "How is it that I train you and my son so differently and you end up being so alike in work ethic."

"Because we both have one. We would like to earn our paychecks instead of having people bumped off for them, or at least one of us still does." Chloe looked up at Lionel as he slumped into the chair across the desk from her. "Sorry, its just been that kind of day and it feels like its never going to end."

Lionel crossed his legs and waited for her to continue. "Ms. Sullivan?"

"Lex knows you're alive. That little text message and the fact he told me at breakfast that he could see his old man's shadow lurking in back of the television shot last night. He wants us all to have dinner. So, your jig is up, I'm going to get my heart broken, again, and he's going to win anyway."

Lionel scratched where his beard used to be. Chloe could tell he was already formulating the next large sidestep that would have to be added to the plan. "Not necessarily. What time is dinner?"

Chloe threw her arms down across the desk in exasperation. "Are you kidding me?" Chloe waited for the man to say something in response to her partially rhetorical question. "Seven thirty. Lionel, what are you planning on? I can tell you're planning something."

"No," Lionel simply answered as he stood up from the chair. He watched as Chloe squeezed her forehead and had no desire to make Chloe as stressed out and cold as his son had become after he was done with him. "Just please let him know that I'm looking forward to it."

Chloe watched as the older man walked out of the door before her head hit the desk with a thud. Leaning on her cheek to one side, she glanced over at her phone that was buzzing on the desk. She didn't want to handle any more crises, work problems, personal problems, hero problems. Flipping the phone up to listen to the message, the warm feeling that came over her made her either want to laugh or hurl. Simply hearing, "Can't wait to see you," from Lex.

********

Lex spent the rest of the afternoon with his thoughts as he watched the employees seem to run the place by themselves. Sitting in the back corner and observing the relaxed pace of the place after the noon rush, he wondered how Lana ever had anything to complain about. Stopping momentarily on the thought, he shook his head in remembrance of how far he'd come since that debacle.

"You missed your appointment today sir." Bates walked over and sat down at the booth with Lex.

"I'm going tomorrow. Besides, I will probably have more to talk about tomorrow." Lex nodded at Bates who sat a drink down in front of what almost seemed like his new boss.

Bates had learned not to mind the man that had once imprisoned him like an animal. He knew that he still had a handle on the situation as long as Lex was under thumb and he was armed. Still, there was a strange sense of bonding when the two men took afternoon breaks together more and more often. "So, Manuel is cleaning up a storm in the back. Are you planning on inspectors?"

"Sort of." Lex sat the drink down and leaned back in the seat, looking over at Bates. "The devil and a reporter are coming to review the restaurant tonight." Bates cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow as Lex broke a small smirk that tended toward his old personality. "No, Chloe is bringing my father back from the dead. He's still dead, just not to a small group of people, which now you are privileged to know about."

"Yes sir." Bates swallowed as he watched Lex's eyes trail a couple that just walked in the door and sat down. He had never had the pleasure to meet the older Luthor but had heard there was much more to worry about when he was around. "Sir, is your father the same?"

"The same? As in what? I am assuming he is still the same bastard as before he obviously faked his death, but I am not even to be sure of what to expect. I just put the clues together myself."

"What are you planning on doing? I heard bouts with your father led you down the path that got you here."

Lex sighed and adjusted his pant leg. Led him here was an interesting way of putting his unique predicament the last many months. "Having dinner with him and then going from there." Lex paused before turning to Bates. "It depends on him, but don't be too far away tonight."

Bates silently nodded before getting up and moving on about his business. Walking away, he thought about how his job description in that instant seemed to change from officer and inmate to bodyguard and protectee. Funny how he didn't seem to mind.

********

Chloe felt nauseated as she made her way to the front of the old Talon building, which had slowly been transformed to something more subtle. She didn't mind the changes, at least it wasn't a parking lot. Knocking on the front door glass, she swallowed as Lex smoothly walked across the floor and unlocked the glass doors.

"I was afraid you were backing out after the first hour late. Good thing I made something that would keep warm." Pulling her into him, he lifted her chin and could feel the quivering in her lips as he grazed them with his.

"Lex, this could change things. I'm stuck between you and your dad...and Oliver."

Gripping her tighter against him at those words, he kissed her on the temple and whispered, "Only if you let it." He let go and felt her pull away, setting her things on one of the side tables.

Lex shoved his hands in his pockets and took a deep breath. "He's gotten to you hasn't he? Like he used to do me? Chloe, what's he told you? That I abuse women, that I only want what I can't have and then throw them aside? That I'll never know how to really love?"

Chloe turned around after removing her jacket to reveal the teasing v-neck that she wore. Seeing the small smile from Lex's lips, she relaxed. "That's what scares me, he hasn't said anything. I told him about tonight; he left and said he'll meet us here. I don't want you to turn into that person you were before." Chloe clamped her hand over her mouth realizing that her thoughts had just made it out of her mouth.

Lex stopped his approach and bit his lip. He wanted to be past her being scared of him; he thought they were until that morning. "Come on in the kitchen. Bates will let him in when he arrives." Chloe followed him as he seemed defeated and speechless after her statement.

She hadn't meant to hurt him, but he was taking an awful chance with his father coming back into his life. "Smells wonderful. You went all out."

Chloe leaned against one of the shelves of supplies as the gleaming kitchen was spotless except for the few pans and pots that were currently holding items for the dinner. "I fixed one of mom's favorites; dad wasn't much on remembering her in any way."

"I thought you weren't going to ..."

Lex interrupted, "He can't win everything this round Chloe. Give me this one thing." Lex walked over to her and leaned in as the kitchen door swung open.

"Sir?" Bates backed up and Lex turned to his father in the doorway.

"Son."

Chloe watched as Lex said nothing but just looked in the direction as the clean shaven, short haired man that was his dead father stared at him. Lionel had come in a simple pair of slacks and pressed shirt, nothing like what he had on at the plant earlier. Elbowing Lex slightly, she knew he was waiting for the old man to continue like he had in the past.

"Dad. How is it being back in the land of the living?"

Lionel smirked, "Not really much better than dead, considering beyond this room there are only three other people that know."

Lex gripped Chloe's hand in his as if he had lost the strength over the months to withstand hearing his father's voice. "The table is set in the apartment where we won't all be disturbed by onlookers. Your ghost might scare them."

Chuckling, Lionel closed the kitchen door behind him, leaving Bates on the other side and the three of them alone. "That's a good one, considering you have been without your need for verbal animosity for awhile now." Lionel stopped and ran his finger along several of the well hung pot racks. "The place looks immaculate, almost as silver as the penthouse you used to have."

Lex felt the grip on his hand increase from Chloe and his arm loosened. She knew Lionel was trying to ease into testing him. Still without a clue as to what Lionel had planned, she hoped his point to rattling Lex wasn't to push him far enough to attack. Keeping her eyes firmly on Lionel, she glared at him to stop.

"Calm Miss Sullivan." Lionel walked past the two and stared into the oven. "I remember when your mother would set you on the counter and let you stuff the ducks yourself." Lionel turned and shook his head, almost giggling in Lex's direction. "I remember when you were about five and I came to get you to start your lessons and your white shirt and jacket sleeve were halfway up in the bird. You absolutely ruined those clothes and your mother could only giggle at my irritance." Looking at his son with Chloe's hand in his. "At least now you have learned to roll your sleeves."

Chloe felt the grip on her hand loosen and watched as Lex completely pulled away from her. Walking over to his father, Lex watched as the old man took a sip of the glaze from the spoon. "She would have approved. She liked it sweet. And I know why you made this."

"Is it working?" Lex watched as his dad moved along the line and stared at himself in the ultra shiny pots.

"Not really since Denise is fond of the recipe too. You will find son that I think both of us have made some changes. Now, all of this seems to be in order, so shall we?"

Lex watched his father remove the items from the industrial ovens and served himself a plate before heading for the door. Lex glanced back at Chloe and followed suit. "What's his angle?"

"I don't know. He wasn't exactly the tyrant you and I dealt with. He hasn't been for a couple of years." Chloe stopped in the doorway with her plate and looked back at Lex putting things back in place to stay warm. "You had taken that place."

Lex watched the door swing close and then no one there as he felt the words Chloe said wash over him. Following the two upstairs, he still couldn't quite figure who was on whose side in the strange dinner. He walked into the apartment and already saw Chloe and Lionel sitting with his father pouring from a bottle.

"I don't drink anymore dad."

"Good, neither do I, but this wonderful vineyard in Napa sent Denise this bottle of non-alcohol wine that would go great here. It won't put us too far back in rehab."

Lex glanced over at his dad. "Us? When did you ever attend rehab?"

"Oh no, I haven't. Denise is rehab. I have realized the amount of living I missed while I've been dead. How about you son?"

Lex watched as Lionel just grinned at the end of the question and quietly began eating. Glancing over at Chloe, he could see that she was simply there to make sure the two men didn't eventually kill each other and otherwise would have rather not been there at all. Taking a bite and agreeing that it was well done for remembering the recipe that many years, he spoke. "I've learned more in a year than I think all of those years at boarding school taught me."

"Ahh, I wondered when the good shrink would make you think that my sending you away was a bad thing. Somehow all parents get blamed for their kids demise."

"Dad, you have to admit the stretch wasn't that hard for you. It wasn't just my demise."

Lionel shook his head. "Son, I had nothing to do with that and you know it. I simply was not emotionally available at the time."

"Emotionally unavailable is what some people call it. You killed mom in a whole different way than my grandparents. Everything you touch turns to death, even your own apparently."

"Your mother was ill, more than physically son," Lionel put both hands on the table and stared across at Lex. "There was nothing that could be done."

Lex dropped his silverware and leaned back in the seat. "There were things that she knew, she didn't know who to share with so she tried to tell me. You sent me away and it killed her. She had no one. You kept her locked in that mansion like a tomb until she finally succumbed to it." Lex pushed away from the table and felt Chloe's hand latch onto his. Pulling out of her grip, he walked into the kitchen, feeling the counter in between the two would keep him from throwing his father out the window.

Lionel stood up and walked around, almost leaning across the island in the kitchen to make a point. "I'm sorry you feel that way Alexander, but I did bring you home to see her."

Chloe watched as Lex ran his hand along his head for the first time in she couldn't remember how long. She wondered when she should 911 to Bates. "You brought me home to watch her die! You wanted me to know exactly what would happen to me if I ever repeated anything I already knew. So, is that what all this was? Was I getting too close for comfort so you concocted this whole thing to get me out of the way? To make your comeback?"

Chloe hadn't heard Lex shout in as many months as it had been since the mansion burned. Standing up in her seat, she wondered if she should move.

"I'm not coming back. I am dead to all outside of this charade son. I like my life now. I was hoping you would find another life out of this as well."

Lex was beside himself. He didn't know whether his father was playing him or wanted a straight answer. After speaking to Dr. Schell, he had been convinced to simply say anything that would make himself feel better despite the animosity toward his secret dinner guest.

"I have, I had, one without you or your fucking company that got dropped in my lap after you went to prison and then ripped away from me by your back pocket cronies."

Lionel tipped head to one side and shook his head. "My son..."

"Fucking stop that son shit. I call you dad, most of the time not in the revered sense, but I still do. What do I have to do to have you to call me Lex, just once? Treat me like your son, not your vice president. Like I'm your goddamn family for once."

The room fell silent. Lex lowered his head as his hands went back in his pockets. The stance he normally took when he felt he was being attacked or was defeated. But he felt strangely vindicated. He cared little now how his father reacted. The man was dead anyway, even to himself.

Chloe watched as Lex continued to stay silent and Lionel ran his hand along where his beard had been for years. Lionel glanced up and opened his mouth before closing it again. Pulling the chair out, he sat back down at the table and picked up his fork. "You have become quite the chef Lex. Your mother would have been proud."

Chloe glanced over as Lex looked down at his father continuing to eat without saying anymore. There in that moment was some kind of resolve. Lex moved back around to the table and sat down and nodded at Chloe to follow suit. Looking up, he saw the door open and Bates sticking his head in. Lex nodded and the door shut again.

"Lillian wanted Lex to become a chef or maybe pianist. She said he had natural talent. It was fun to watch the two in the kitchen. The maids would throw a fit about the mess they left but the food was usually outstanding."

Chloe glanced over at Lex who still showed no sign of remorse for how he felt but she could see he appreciated the thoughts. "I didn't like the sewing though."

"No, I didn't care for her teaching to sew either. We had professional suit makers for that." Lionel looked across the table and saw his son, really saw him. "In the long run, all those things were good for you though."

Lex somewhat chuckled at the slight comment and continued eating. Chloe watched the strange exchange of random comments and glares the two continued to pass back and forth. She wondered how long it had been since the two had actually taken a meal that wasn't a business dinner together. It must have been years.

"Coffee anyone?" Lex finally offered after about a half hour of awkward silence.

"I should be going," Lionel quietly commented as he stood. Staring at his son, he couldn't tell whether it was the last time he would see him or not.

"Dad," Lex pulled the coat from his arm. "Stay for dessert. I was hoping that you and Chloe could help me piece together how I got here, the real story, no accusations."

Lionel watched as his son lowered his coat across the couch and Chloe laid out three plates. He had been sure that it would have been Lex's first question to him, not the last. Regardless, the evening was apparently just getting started.

Sitting on the chair across the couch from his son and his protégé, he smiled. "What do you not know?"

"I have figured out that the companies that supposedly went under just were taken over by Queen Industries or old Luthorcorp holdings I had sold for cash. The business end I understand, and some of it was your doing and some was the economy. But the arrangement of my incarceration."

"We were all worried about you Lex. You had changed, and you were taking everyone you know down with you. You were self distructing and the person you had been was slowly rotting away."

Lex watched as Chloe's eyes continued to seem to be pleading for him not to go off on her when she hit the punchline. "When Lana returned from Europe, the ball started rolling. She was your only weakness to take you down. The movement of money to her after she was forced to marry you was simply strategic."

"And your death?"

"The rest of the plans would have never worked if I was out in front making plays for the companies from under you. So, I found that death moved mountains faster, at least in the world of tycoons."

Lex continued to sit and listen to the plan that Lionel had finally approved there in the living room to give up. Lex knew he had no control and no way to get back any of the things that had been taken from him, not even blackmail material. He had been entirely discredited in front of the entire world business populous.

"So who is paying for all of this?"

Chloe and Lionel looked at Lex and waited, hoping that in the last year of his strange new life he hadn't lost all his abilities of the shrewd business man. Seeing the sense of a light coming on, he stared at his father and then at Chloe. "This is my money." Chloe simply nodded her head in agreement.

"Well, this has been an interesting evening." Lionel stood up and grabbed his coat before giving his son the ability to take it away again. "Son...Lex...Thank you."

Lex stood up and shook his father's hand, actually a strange gesture since his father had always seemed to be a hugger, although usually for other reasons than comfort.

Looking at his son with a still stunned look on his face, he motioned for Chloe to follow him.

Once outside the door, he stopped. "Are you ready then?"

Chloe peeked back inside as Lex sat back on the couch and was obviously trying to digest the entire elaborate plan that seemingly worked. Turning back, she partially smiled. "I think so. What about you and Lex?"

With a slight nod, Lionel turned, descending the stairs almost ghostlike in his long coat and disappeared out the front door.

_Cause sometimes we don't really notice  
Just how good it can get  
So maybe we should start all over  
Start all over again _

Chapter 19 - Someday

Chloe took a deep breath and walked back into the apartment and watched silently as Lex had his back to her, cleaning the kitchen. He hadn't even realized what he had proven or done in this one meeting that had sped up everything that she and Lionel had planned out. Months of planning went happily out the window. Chloe tried to control her emotions and wipe the smile from her face that seemed to keep coming back.

"What's up with the look?" Lex asked and startled Chloe back into the present. "My old man tell you a dirty joke or something?"

Crossed over the small living room and leaned against one of the chairs, continuing to smile. "No, just impressed with how this how whole night seemed to work itself out better than I had pictured." Chloe paused and saw Lex's look on his face. "Seriously, I wondered which one of you would have cracked first. I figured that I would be dodging objects or repairing something after a brawl."

Lex smiled as he leaned against the counter. He could still feel the fear that Chloe was holding close to her chest about the whole situation. He knew she still didn't quite trust him even after all the time they had spent together. He loved her for that; he knew she was still too careful to reach out and just let go as far as he was concerned and maybe that was a good thing.

"There was a moment that I was wondering if his body would fit out the window. But then again, he would have hit the trash bin below and lived like a cockroach."

Turning to Chloe her smile transformed into confusion and then a small snort to the last comment. "I thought you were serious."

"At a point in the evening I was, but then decided I liked this place and I really didn't want to actually go to jail over him. He's not the worth the effort anymore. Besides from the way you walked back in, I'm not sure if I'll ever even see him again."

Chloe shook her head and crossed her arms as she walked around the little island in the kitchen. "You got that feeling too?"

Lex pulled Chloe's arms out of the tight twist and ran his hands down them. "Yeah." She let him snake her arms around him and pull her into his chest for a quiet embrace. "It wasn't supposed to go like this. You basically hurried the process through three months of planning by figuring it was your dad."

Leaning his chin gently against the top of Chloe's head, he could smell the faint fruit scent from her shampoo and closed his eyes. He didn't care whether he had screwed up their plans or not as long as Chloe was still there at the end of the night. "I'm sure that wasn't his intention for me to find out. But he's been out of the game a little long, so he made a mistake."

Chloe gazed up in Lex's eyes, "I'm not so sure it was a mistake. Lex, your dad has this wonderful woman that he's building a new life with, albeit completely out of the public eye. I think he was ready to move on." Chloe pulled out of Lex's arms and sat quietly on the couch.

Lex glanced over at her as she moved across the room from him. He wondered what the woman was like that his father had wrangled. He knew that she wasn't apparently interested in being able to go out with the man and not concerned about his past indiscretions. Looking back up from the floor, he saw Chloe watching him. "Lex, she's a good person. And she approved of you."

Lex leaned toward her, then moved over toward the couch to sit down. "She knows me?"

Chloe rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. Turning to Lex, she placed her hands on his. "Remember the night that you called me and said someone left you a big tip and felt like you were being watched? The woman that ordered was Denise and the strange little man in the Fedora was your dad. He actually was very impressed by the job you had done with basically nothing."

"Which ironically was my money anyway, with a hard as nails caretaker of it." Lex leaned closer to Chloe on the couch. "Incredibly beautiful caretaker," he whispered as his lips grazed hers.

Chloe sank further into the cushions adorning the couch now, leaning further back as Lex's body moved toward her. Feeling his hand slide up her side and under her shirt, she closed her eyes and moaned into his mouth as the kiss deepened into something she wasn't expecting.

Pushing slightly with her free arm, Lex sat up at the hint. "Something wrong?" Lex quietly whispered as he ran his hand through her hair and down her cheek.

"We've had a lot go on today, for both of us, and I really need to get some rest." Chloe saw the look of disappointment on his face as he took a long breath and shook his head in agreement.

"I bet you are finding out that my job wasn't sitting in front of that laptop all the time."

Chloe glanced over before leaning her head against his shoulder. "No," she scoffed, "no, but I am starting to understand the reason for drinking, but I prefer wine and then sleep."

"Well, I can offer part of that." Lex halfway smirked as Chloe leaned back into the couch and sighed. He watched her as her eyes grazed the fixtures throughout the apartment and wondered what she was thinking.

Chloe took it all in now. Everything that she had set up for him he had made better than she could have expected. He still could control his destiny regardless of the situation. Looking back over in his direction, she saw him eyeing her intently. Slightly jumping, she felt his fingers on back of her neck, just grazing there. "Lex," her voice could put out nothing but a throaty plea.

Leaning into her, he kissed her neck as she barely moved to give him the opportunity. Running his lips lightly over her ear he whispered, "You're sleepy, stay here tonight."

Chloe turned her head and met his eyes as he leaned back into the couch. Taking his hand in hers, she could feel his fingers intertwine hers. The two just stared at each other in silence. Finally, Chloe had to speak. Nodding her head, she pulled fingers out of his. "No." Sitting up, yet unable to move, she repeated herself. "No."

Lex knew she had done her homework for the evening. Sitting up next to her, he pulled her quietly into him and brushed a kiss across her cheek. "I'll get your things." Chloe watched as Lex left the couch gathering her coat and her purse.

"Dinner was wonderful as always." Chloe politely commented as she slipped into her coat that Lex offered her. Taking her purse, she turned to grab the door handle, but Lex beat her to it. "Thank you."

Lex nodded and smiled. "Thank you Chloe," Lex whispered before pushing her into the door frame and covering her lips with his. Pulling her up by the waist, he held her in place as her body went limp in his arms. Closing his eyes, he took in her scent as he felt her tongue assault the inside of his mouth.

Losing her grip on air, Chloe slightly pushed against Lex and he backed away. "Goodnight," she barely whispered, starting down the stairs. Lex stood silently at the top of the stairs as she walked out and Bates locked the door behind her.

**********

Clark walked into the Talon Green and sat down at one of the tables on the outskirts of the main area. Glancing around the place, he spotted Lex and immediately wondered what the man would do in mere days when his time was finally up. Clark knew that he had only been given certain privileged information, but Lex being released dialed up the concern for the farmboy.

His mother was up for re-election that year. He worried for her, knowing that Lex very well could run his family's name through the mud in someway again. The man maybe had fooled everyone into thinking he was rehabilitated, but his freedom would give him distinct chances to put his old life back together. He hadn't been through shock therapy this time; he could easily remember everything.

Everything. Lex had been dangerously close to the end all secret for years and only knew the bits and pieces that Lionel knew Lex knew. Lex had mentioned in their earlier conversation that he knew more of Clark's secrets than he ever let on. Now he knew to forever keep an eye on the Lex Luthor that he used to know.

It had been a strange last week. He hadn't seen Chloe since their last meeting, only passing emails telling him the job in Metropolis was daunting but the challenge was very much to her liking. Smiling at the thought, he wondered how his crazy journalist friend had found herself so at home with corporate sharks. Then the phone call and dinner with Oliver had followed. He commented on Chloe's perseverance in the boardroom. Personally, Oliver mentioned the new woman in his life as being incredibly spry but never mentioned a name. Shaking his head, he continued to resist the thought that Chloe had started dating Oliver.

Lionel then appeared last night in the barn with a box that had to be buried he said. Had to buried somewhere that only he and Clark would know the contents and then started in on a fascinating story of what happened years before he arrived on earth and what would happen if it fell into the wrong hands, knowing Clark knew who the wrong hands were. Leaving quietly after mentioning the true reason for the death of Oliver's parents, he knew Lionel was leaving the decision of telling Oliver to himself, which he wouldn't. The past of a publicly dead figure wouldn't make a difference at this point.

He had opened the box and watched as the orb floated quietly in front of him, waiting for him to take it to its proper placement. The rest of the box glowed from the orb's light with manuscripts that Lionel had written about the orb and what he had written since his possession of JorEl. The entire history had been plunked at Clark's feet with an address to the hidden safe with the rest of the documents.

Placing the orb the night before at the Fortress was the last piece that lit up the fortress with a beautiful light and opened portals to other advancements in his training. Lionel had given him his last path to destiny. The ironic twist was it had been buried in the mansion all those years for someone else to find.

So after hours of talking to Lionel about the box and the paintings on the cave walls so long ago and the trip to the Fortress, he went back to the cave walls and the same Namen and Segeeth stood eye to eye with each other, almost as if they were reevaluating each other.

This had led him here. Lex had hinted years ago that he and Clark were the moderns of the ones on the cave walls. That they could rule together, but now the two were eye to eye, at a pass.

"I don't think I've seen you that deep in thought since you were in high school pondering who to take to the prom?" Clark shook his head and noticed Lex sitting across from him.

"I have a lot on my mind I guess. So you have a few days now? Any plans?" Clark leaned back in the chair, trying not to look suspicious.

"No, I guess things won't change too much from what they are right now except for the fact I could buy a car and drive to the other side of town without the law shooting at me." The two quietly paused. "You want something to eat? I can get the kitchen to whip something up, no charge."

"No, thank you. I guess its kind of a strange thing us two sitting here after all these years. I remember the last time we sat in these same chairs we were discussing a fishing trip or your football tickets."

"Well, I can't help you there anymore. Besides, you have a better chance at making the team than needing to get tickets. But I could maybe try that fishing thing. I have a great recipe for trout and it'll be better if it was fresh."

The two stared at each other before they both tried not to laugh at the suggestion that the two start over with Lex actually fishing. Both knew that the whole situation seemed completely stupid and yet a possible place to start.

Clark watched a perky auburn hair woman wearing yoga pants, a tank top and a towel around her neck stopped next to Lex's chair. "Hey, sorry to interrupt, but I'll see you tomorrow. I gotta split. Tell Josie not to move her time. Thanks." The woman waved and moved briskly around the corner.

Lex smiled and nodded then quickly refocused. "She's new in town. Apparently I have to talk to Josie since I wasn't made aware of the aerobics schedule being realigned. Can I call you later?"

Clark started to get up at the same time Lex did and stopped at the question. Startled, he shook his head silently. Lex nodded and walked away as Clark still couldn't even place how he felt about knowing that his best friend, enemy, opponent, now was his friend again. Walking out of the Talon, he was in awe, but this was Smallville. Weird things just happened; at least this one was welcome.

*********

Lex stared at hinself in the mirror. He had used the last little bit of personal money he was able to save for himself for the suit. So happy to be back in even Armani, much less any fine suit, he quietly finished straightening his tie and pulled on the coat lapels. Closing his eyes, he slowly breathed trying to calm his rattling nerves until he heard a knock on the door.

"Bates, I told you you could come in." Lex turned and saw Lionel standing in the doorway. "Dad, come to ruin my day?"

"No, Lex, I'm here with the last piece of the puzzle, the last play of the game as you could put it." He watched as his son quietly closed the door behind him and stared him down.

"Like I said," Lex chuckled nervously, wondering how far behind his father Chloe was.

"No, nothing like that." The old man pulled back his jacket pocket and saw Lex back up one step in anticipation. Slipping an envelope out of the pocket, he quietly held it out for Lex. "I promise there's no arsenic or other laced poison. Lex, take it."

Nervously, Lex pulled the envelope from his father's fingers and stared at it, flipping it over carefully before slowly ripping the top from it. Letting the end of the envelope drop to the floor, nothing spilled from it as his father had said. Blowing the envelope open, he pulled out the green form with the pressed watermark and swallowed.

"This is 100,000 dollars?"

Lionel shook his head. "I know it's not the money that you had originally, but that is well invested in the company now." Lionel watched as Lex's hand grazed the watermark again and the signature it beared. "Lex, you have ability to still do great things. The whole world will be watching, knowing your freedom was earned, not bought."

Lex still touched the check as if he had never seen that kind of money before in his life. "Dad, this isn't a joke?"

"No joke. It's yours. And if you take it to the bank on the north end of the town, they have instructions that it is arriving and the money will not be held the normal week to check for funds. You can use it immediately."

Lex couldn't find any other words. He had mentally prepared himself to simply walk out of the courtroom later that morning without the ankle bracelet and nothing to do but return to the same apartment and the same job. With the money settling in his hand, his options had opened. And yet. He didn't know.

"Well, I don't want to make you late for the judge, so I will be letting myself out." Lionel turned and started toward the door as he heard something unintelligible come from his son. Turning he noticed that Lex hadn't moved.

Lionel was confused. He couldn't tell if Lex was more happy to have the money or know that his father actually believed that he could make something out of nothing. "Dad?"

Lionel silently nodded at his son's voice.

"The money, when do I..."

"Never." Lionel walked up to him and grabbed him by the shoulders. "I am proud of you, even if I never did anything else but push you to be more. Of course I'll be watching, but you are in charge of your own destiny. Make it a more worthwhile one this time. This will the be the last time you hear from me."

Lionel wrapped his hands around his son and quietly smiled up at him before moving back toward the door and closing it behind him. Lex watched the door close and couldn't move. His father was really gone. Swallowing he shoved the now folded check nervously into his pants as the door opened again. Looking up he saw Bates staring at him funny.

"Did you see my dad outside?"

"No sir." Lex pulled the check out to make sure he hadn't been talking to his dead father like he had so many times with his mother. "Sir, we need to get going," he nonchalantly said as he patted Lex down and then pulled his hands into the handcuffs for the official trip to the courthouse.

"How long are you still interred on me?" Lex questioned as Bates followed him down the stairs toward the awaiting police car.

"Until the judge has me take the ankle bracelet off of you, probably in his chambers if he decides your release is confirmed." Bates scooted into the seat next to Lex and tapped the awaiting officer on the shoulder.

"What are your plans afterwards?"

"I've sent out some resumes."

"How about security guard at the Talon Green? Still get all the perks, if you trust me being your boss after before." Bates looked over as the man that had captured him, tortured him, been his captor, and finally his friend. Still nervous that the past could again creep up on him, he nodded.

"Same pay?"

"Same pay, although I don't know what that is and hopefully I can match it. Plus still free meals and the gym."

Bates looked at the man's hand outstretched hand as far as it could reach in handcuffs. Shaking his hand, Bates nodded in agreement. "I will turn on you as soon as you make one wrong move."

"I count on it," Lex responded as the car pulled up in front of the courthouse.

*********

Chloe sat at the desk in the middle of the now tallest building in Metropolis. She had argued with Oliver incessantly about putting her up so high in the building that she couldn't see people but just little ants on the ground. Winning, her large CEO office was only ten flights above the ground. Far enough to feel high but low enough to still people watch when she needed a break.

Looking back at the stack of papers on her desk, she sneered disgustingly. It left not time in her day to work on her writing. Still happily working in what was Lex's position at one time, now for Oliver, she missed the writing. It was a strange passion that finally led her to quietly starting a book. Historical fiction set in a science fiction tone; that was the only way she could describe her writings about Smallville.

Pressing the button on the little intercom, she flipped open the next folder and ran her hand through her hair once. "Yes, could you please send in the next person."

Watching her receptionist smile at her, she moved around to the front of the desk and approached the man with an outstretched hand. "Good morning. Thank you Jeneice." The door closed and Chloe stopped in the middle of the floor, rocking on her heels. "It's been a long time."

"Eighteen months." He paused. "Somehow I knew."

"We both knew that night." At the risk of falling into the old pattern, she stopped from perusing the past and looked him up and down. "You seem to have found suits tailored for you again."

"Believe me, I didn't pay top dollar for any tailor. Money that dad left me only goes so far. If I have learned anything, the value of the dollar is at the top. Actually Emily took up the pants; the coat was tailored."

Chloe smiled and pointed at the chair for Lex to have a seat. She pulled herself up to the desk and looked over the file in front of her. He hadn't missed a beat, listing everything from Luthorcorp, Lexcorp, to every felony he had been found guilty of. Looking up from her paperwork, she smiled and crossed her arms over the papers. "Yes, I hear congratulations are in order. Clark emailed me the post in the paper. And told me you two are actually expecting? You with a child?"

Lex uncomforably shifted in the seat at the question in Chloe's voice. "You trust me with a child?"

She shifted her head, "Of course, you'll be a great dad."

Chloe watched as he shifted again and knew that he felt nervous back in place he had been far removed for now at least two years. "I hope. I get nervous constantly, every time Emily has an appointment."

"Tell me; Clark I guess figured he would drop the big bomb all at once so it wouldn't hurt or something like that."

Lex smiled, knowing that he would silently keep it to himself that he had asked Clark not to say anything to Chloe. "She was the new Kindergarten teacher in town. She started coming to gym and then one day she was reading one of the old Art History books I used to have. We got to talking and found we had more in common than I had with anyone in a long time."

"And your past?"

Lex swallowed. "She was nervous when I approached her about something more permanent. I told her I wanted to come back to work here, and that really scared her until I told her about you being the boss." Lex leaned back more comfortable in the chair.

"How much?" Chloe knew the rest of the interview was fruitless, for both of them. The questions that he answered now and how he answered them would be more telling than any cookie cutter interview sheet.

"She knows about us, or what was us. She understands the situation." Chloe nodded and tapped the pen on the desk that she had started to chew on. Nervously, she looked up in Lex's eyes and then down at the ring on his hand. Misty-eyed, she dropped the pen and tried to gain her composure.

Lex watched as she got up and pulled one of his trademark moves for not showing his emotion. He had to de-escalate the situation. Turning the picture on her desk around, he smiled. "I think congratulations goes both ways. I hear Thomas is a great guy."

Chloe turned and smiled back at Lex now fixing the picture back in its place on her desk. "Yeah, he's got a great head on his shoulders. He just got promoted at Random House. He actually has me writing a fiction tale on Smallville if you're interested in giving me an interview finally on some of the stuff that went on at the mansion."

Lex laughed; he couldn't help it. "Chloe, I think you have probably curbed the market on stories from Smallville, but I I like the fiction twist. Outside of Smallville, most people wouldn't buy all the stuff that went on there as real."

"That's what Thomas said. But he said the editors are looking forward to the second part on it, including your little demise. I said I would have to talk to you first. It's not meant to be your expose."

Lex ran his hand along the leather chair as he looked back and forth between her face and the engagement ring on her hand. "You're writing it as fiction. My name isn't in it, so embellish as you will. Besides, I'm pretty sure I'll read it."

Chloe nodded and leaned against the edge of the desk as she crossed her arms. The two had finally found the deathly quiet out of the past and the catching up. She had been afraid of this moment when she first saw his name come across the list of applicants. Even after pleading with Oliver to rethink his constitution, she was left to interview. Oliver had put it as poetic justice that Lex crawl back. Glancing over at Lex, he wasn't doing much crawling.

"So, when I saw your name on the list of applicants that Oliver had actually pushed through, I was kind of shocked."

Lex crossed his leg and put on what Chloe remembered as his best business face. Thinking that they had finally moved onto the interview, Lex could feel his own heartbeat slow. "I'm sure. I was actually shocked myself when your receptionist called to schedule the interview."

"So why come back?"

"I saw that Gretchen had moved to another plant on the west coast and then saw the ad in the paper."

"But it's your original job; it's like your going backwards and taking my father's old job."

"But its stable and I need something after Creighton Inc came in and bought the Talon from me. I can't exactly raise a family on nothing. And between the sale of the Talon and the money left, I was at least able to buy and clear the land the mansion was on to rebuild. Not the mansion of course. Emily already has some architect hunting down plans from Clark's parent's house. God forbid."

Chloe covered her mouth to keep from trying to laugh out loud. "I cannot see you in a country kitchen."

"Neither can I. That's why that architect is going to end up magically missing." Lex waited for it. There it was, the glare he was waiting for. Chloe's eyes grew in shock as her body stiffened. "Relax, I paid for him to go on vacation until I got back to town where she wouldn't meet with him alone. Anyway, the job has daycare and medical and frankly my family's going to need it. The deal is better than her putting us all on the public school's dime, that's highway robbery they have."

Chloe nodded in agreement. She still couldn't quite swallow that Lex was talking about medical insurance and daycare. The man still had hints of himself in there, the stares, the mannerisms, the hint that he could still easily make someone disappear with the mighty dollar. Looking at him, she knew what the men upstairs were waiting on. Standing up from her chair, she was met by Lex also standing. "I will be working personally with the board to get this pushed through."

Lex watched as Chloe moved around the desk and met him in the middle of the office, halfway toward the door and halfway to opening a new life between to the two.

Putting her hand out, she felt Lex's grip in it and hitched a breath. Looking up in his eyes, she knew they could make this work and Lane Industries would someday become what Luthorcorp was with Lex and Oliver both eventually working together. For now, she was his boss. "Welcome to Lane Industries, Mr. Luthor."

"Thank you Ms. Sullivan."

THE END


End file.
